Expanding brackets
Expanding brackets
2(3x + 1) 4(3 – 2x)
= 6x + 2 = 12 – 8x
Pick up the sign
+2 x 4x = +8x
+2 x -2 = -4
3(2x – 1) + 2(4x – 2)
= 6x – 3 + 8x – 4
= 14x – 7
(x + 2)(x + 3)
= x2 + 3x + 2x + 6
= x2 + 5x + 6
(x + 3)2 = (x + 3)(x + 3)
= x2 + 3x + 3x + 9
= x2 + 6x + 9
(x – 2)(x + 3)(x + 2)
= (x2 + 3x – 2x – 6)(x + 2)
= (x2 + x – 6)(x + 2)
First expand one
pair of brackets
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x(x + 4) x(2x – 5) 3x(2 + x)
= x2 + 4x = 2x2 – 5x = 6x + 3x2
Pick up the sign
You must pick up the sign that
-3 x 2x = -6x
goes before the 2nd bracket -3 x -2 = +6
2(4x – 1) – 3(2x – 2)
= 8x – 2 – 6x + 6
= 2x + 4
Double brackets
FOIL (x – 5)(x - 1)
(First, Outer, Inner, Last)
= x2 – x – 5x + 5
1st with both, = x2 – 6x + 5
2nd with both
Expanding double
brackets gives 4
(2x + 4)(2x – 4)
terms, which
usually simplify = 4x2 – 8x + 8x – 16
to 3 terms, but
sometimes only 2 = 4x2 – 16
Triple brackets
1st with both, 2nd with both, 3rd with both
(x2 + x – 6)(x + 2)
= x3 + 2x2 + x2 + 2x - 6x -12
Then expand the = x3 + 3x2 - 4x - 12
remaining pair
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 Expanding brackets

Expanding brackets (Grid method)

2(3x + 1) 4(3 - 2x) x(x + 4) x(2x - 5) 3x(2 + x)
3x +1 3 -2x x +4 2x -5 2 +x
2 6x +2 4 12 -8x x x2 +4x x 2x2 -5x 3x 6x +3x2

Pick up the sign You must pick up the sign that Pick up the sign
+2 x 4x = +8x -3 x 2x = -6x
+2 x -2 = -4 goes before the 2nd bracket -3 x -2 = +6

3(2x - 1) + 2(4x – 2) 2(4x - 1) - 3(2x – 2)

2x -1 4x -2 4x -1 2x -2
3 6x -3 +2 +8x -4 2 8x -2 -3 -6x +6
= 14x – 7 = 2x + 4

Double brackets

(x + 2)(x + 3) (x - 5)(x - 1)
x +2 Expanding double brackets x -5
gives 4 terms, which usually
x x2 +2x simplify to 3 terms, but x x2 -5x
+3 +3x +6 sometimes only 2 -1 -x +5
= x2 + 5x + 6 = x2 - 6x + 5

(x + 3)2 = (x + 3)(x + 3) (2x + 4)(2x - 4)

x +3 2x +4
x x2 +3x 2x 4x2 +8x
+3 +3x +9 -4 -8x -16
= x2 + 6x + 9 = 4x - 16
2

Triple brackets

First (x - 2)(x + 3)(x + 2) Then

expand 2 expand
x -2 x +x -6
one pair the
of x x2 -2x x x3 +x2 -6x remaining
brackets +3 +3x -6 +2 +2x2 +2x -12 pair

= (x2 + x – 6)(x + 2) = x3 + 3x2 - 4x - 12

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