How Do You Simplify an Expression?

1. Take the first '2' and distribute it into the parentheses
2. Now repeat that for the second '2' and the second set of parentheses
1. Now we rewrite the equation
2. '2' times 'a' is '2a', and '2' times '2b' is '4b'
3. Rewrite one half 'b' squared
4. Repeat the distribution for the last parentheses
1. The terms are color coded: same color means same type of term
2. Bring down '2a'
3. Write down the other '2a'
4. Repeat this process for any other types of terms
5. Bring down '4b'
6. Write the '6b' next to our '4b'
7. Anything without like terms in the equation, gets put on the end
8. There is only one 'b squared' in the equation, so put that term on the end
1. The terms are color coded: same color means same type of term
2. '2a' plus '2a' combines to become '4a'
3. '4b' plus '6b' combines to become '10b'
1. In simplest form the equation is '4a' plus '10b' plus one half times 'b²'

Put this expression into simplest form.2(a+2b) + (1/2)b2 + 2(a+3b)