Expanding brackets

Expanding brackets

• Expanding or multiplying out brackets is a key algebra skill
• You have to multiply the expression outside the bracket by everything inside the bracket
• ‘Expand and simplify’ means multiply out and then collect like terms

Golden rule

• When you expand, you need to be careful with negative signs in front of the bracket
• Negative signs belong to the term to their right
  • Multiply out the brackets first and then collect like terms if possible

Methods

• You can use the grid method to expand two brackets
• Or you can use the acronym FOIL to expand two brackets
• Remembered as smiley face
  • First, outer, inner, last terms

Examiners report

• If you have to multiply three factors, don’t try to do it all in one step
• Expand and write brackets around the whole expansion
• Then multiply every terms inside the brackets by x