Chapter 4: Problem 36
\(f(x)=3(x-10)(x+4)\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The simplified expression for the function is \(f(x) = 3x^2 - 18x - 120\).
Step by step solution
01
Distribute the Inner and Outer Terms
First distribute the \(x\) in the expression \(x-10\) times the two terms in the parentheses \(x+4\). This gives \((x)(x) + (x)(4)\) which simplifies to \(x^2 + 4x\).
02
Distribute the Last Terms
Next, distribute the \(-10\) in the expression \(x-10\) times the two terms in the parentheses \(x+4\). This gives \((-10)(x) + (-10)(4)\) which simplifies to \(-10x - 40\).
03
Combine Like Terms and Distribute the 3
Combine like terms \(x^2 + 4x - 10x - 40\) going to \(x^2 - 6x - 40\). Then distribute the 3 across all terms in the expression \(3(x^2 - 6x - 40)\) to get the final expression \(3x^2 - 18x - 120\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Factoring
Factoring is a fundamental process in algebra used to simplify polynomial expressions. It involves rewiring an expression as a product of its factors. Think of it as breaking down a number or expression into its building blocks. For instance, in the expression \(3(x-10)(x+4)\), the polynomial
- is factored into three separate components: \(3\), \(x-10\), and \(x+4\).
- These components can be further expanded into a polynomial by multiplying.
Distribution
Distribution, or the distributive property, is a central concept in algebra that allows us to multiply numbers or expressions in parentheses by a number or another expression outside the parentheses. To distribute means to spread the factor outside the parentheses over each term inside the bracket. In the case of the expression \(3(x-10)(x+4)\):
- We first distribute each term in \((x+4)\) to the terms in \((x-10)\) which involves multiplying \(x\cdot x\), \(x\cdot 4\), \(-10\cdot x\), and \(-10\cdot 4\).
- This results in the expression \(x^2 + 4x - 10x - 40\).
Combining Like Terms
Combining like terms is a crucial technique to simplify polynomial expressions. Like terms have the same variable raised to the same power. When simplifying, you add or subtract their coefficients:
- In \(x^2 + 4x - 10x - 40\), the terms \(4x\) and \(-10x\) are like terms.
- By combining them, we perform the operation \(4x - 10x\), which results in \(-6x\).
Quadratic Expressions
Quadratic expressions are polynomials where the highest exponent of the variable is 2. They typically appear in the form \(ax^2 + bx + c\), where \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) are constants. In our exercise, the quadratic expression resulted from distributing and combining terms from \((x-10)(x+4)\), yielding \(x^2 - 6x - 40\). After distributing the 3, we get \(3x^2 - 18x - 120\):
- This expression, \(3x^2 - 18x - 120\), is quadratic because the term with the highest degree is \(x^2\).
- Quadratic expressions can be graphed as parabolas and are fundamental in solving quadratic equations, which determine where the graph crosses the x-axis (roots or solutions).