-squared.jpeg "(5x) Squared")
Understanding (5x) Squared
The expression "(5x) squared" can be a bit confusing at first glance. Let's break it down step by step:
What does "squared" mean?
"Squared" simply means multiplying a number or expression by itself. So, if we have a number 'a', then 'a squared' is written as a² and is equivalent to a * a.
Applying this to (5x)
In our case, we have (5x) squared, which means we're multiplying (5x) by itself.
(5x) squared = (5x) * (5x)
Expanding the Expression
To simplify this, we need to use the distributive property of multiplication:
(5x) * (5x) = (5 * 5) * (x * x)
This gives us:
(5x) squared = 25x²
Key Points
- (5x) squared is not the same as 5x². The parentheses are important, indicating we square the entire term (5x).
- The final simplified expression is 25x², which represents the product of 25 and x squared.
Understanding how to handle expressions like "(5x) squared" is crucial for working with polynomials and other algebraic expressions. By breaking down the steps and applying the relevant rules, we can arrive at the correct simplified form.