help with the foil method containg roots

[jdh0512]

If you are given problems like (-2ab)(5ab) and(-3x) to the negative 2 how would you solve them?

 

[stapel]

Re: help with the foil method containg roots

If you are given problems like (-2ab)(5ab) and(-3x) to the negative 2 how would you solve them?

This is why "FOIL" is such a dreadful thing. It leads students to think that this one special-case formula applies to all polynomial (and other) multiplication, when it very clearly does not. :shock:

(Note: You didn't include the actual instructions, nor the complete problem statements, so I am guessing that you are supposed to multiply and simplify. As posted, of course, there is nothing to "solve".)

To learn about multiplying expressions with exponents, please consider the following:

. . . . .lesson on basic exponent rules

. . . . .lesson on simplifying with exponents

Hope that helps!

Eliz.