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Lesson 4 of 11

A minus that reaches every term

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7 min

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Rice costs ₹30 a kilo. A discount takes ₹2 off each kilo. What do 7 kilos cost?

7 × (30 − 2).
Step 1 of 4
  1. 7 × (30 − 2).
  2. 7 × 30 = 210.
  3. − 7 × 2 = −14.
  4. 210 − 14 = 196. Each term keeps its own sign.

A minus that reaches every term

Each kilo now costs 30 − 2 = ₹28. So 7 kilos cost 7 × 28 = ₹196.

Rule: every term inside a bracket is multiplied by the number outside. Each term keeps its own sign when the bracket opens.

  • 7 × (30 − 2) = 7 × 30 − 7 × 2 = 210 − 14 = 196
  • 6 × (50 − 4) = 6 × 50 − 6 × 4 = 300 − 24 = 276
  • 5(2m − 3) = 5 × 2m − 5 × 3 = 10m − 15, and at m = 4 both give 25

Watch out!

Writing 7 × (30 − 2) as 7 × 30 − 2 gives 208. That mistake takes only ₹2 off the whole bill. The real discount is 7 × 2 = ₹14, so the bill is ₹196. With one kilo the mistake happens to match. With seven it does not.

Pick a reading. Slide the kilos. Match the real bill.

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