This week, I learned how to use a new method to use the distributive property called (FOIL)! Here’s how:
First - Multiply the first term in each set of parentheses Outer - Multiply the outer term in each set of parentheses Inner - Multiply the inner term in each set of parentheses Last - Multiply the last term in each set of parentheses
Example 1: (3 + )(6 + )
the first thing we need to know is how we use FOIL! FOIL is the same thing as using the distributive property, however we are using a binomial to distribute like this:
Looks familiar? That’s because you do the same step using a monomial! Were basically doing the distributive property… twice! So let’s go through this, first distributing using the 3:
Great, now let’s do it with :
Finally we can simplify this answer! We don’t need both and , so we just add them together, the answer is ! Now we have our final answer: 18 + +
Example 2 ( – 4)( + – 5):
This one is where is gets complicated! First, let’s use FOIL:
Alright, let’s begin by distributing the :
Next let’s distribute -4:
Wow, that’s a lot of numbers! Now we just have to simplify: The only thing we can simplify is and
The final answer is + – – +