Multiplying Out Two Brackets and Simplifying

In this worksheet, you must multiply out two algebraic brackets.

Method

When we multiply out brackets we split the first bracket and multiply each term by the second bracket, as follows:

(a + b)(c) = a(c) + b(c)

(a - b)(c) = a(c) - b(c)

Examples

(x + 3)(x - 6) = x(x - 6) + 3(x - 6) = x² - 6x + 3x - 18
= x² - 3x - 18

(2x - 1)² = (2x - 1)(2x - 1) = 2x(2x - 1) - 1(2x - 1) = 4x² - 2x - 2x + 1
= 4x² - 4x + 1