Change the subtraction sign to addition and flip the signs of every term inside the second parentheses. Group like terms: Put the ’s together and the constants together. Simplify: Working with Negative Terms
Let’s break down the exact process you should follow for every problem in . Lesson 4 Homework Practice Subtracting Linear Expressions
= (5x - 2x) + (2 + 3)
The biggest mistake students make in Lesson 4 is only subtracting the first term of the second expression. When you see a problem like this: Change the subtraction sign to addition and flip
Write it as: [ \beginaligned & 5x + 3 \
The subtraction sign applies to inside the second set of parentheses. You are essentially multiplying every term in that second expression by -1. The Process: = (5x - 2x) + (2 + 3)
= 5x + 2 - 2x + 3