College Math Placement Practice Test

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Prepare for your College Math Placement Test with our expert-crafted quiz! Practice with diverse question formats and detailed explanations to enhance your math skills and boost your confidence.

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What is the first step in solving the equation 10x - 6 + 18x - 6(2x - 4) = 2?

Simplify by adding like terms.
Factor the equation.
Distribute −6 into the parentheses.
Isolate x.

The correct answer is: Distribute −6 into the parentheses.

To solve the equation $ 10x - 6 + 18x - 6(2x - 4) = 2 $, the first step involves addressing the distribution of the term that is multiplied by the parentheses, which is $-6$. This means we need to apply the distributive property to the expression $-6(2x - 4)$. Distributing $-6$ into $2x - 4$ involves multiplying $-6$ by both terms inside the parentheses, resulting in $-12x + 24$. This is crucial because it simplifies the equation and allows us to combine like terms effectively in subsequent steps. Once this distribution is handled, we can then proceed to combine like terms from the overall equation. Thus, focusing on distributing right from the first step provides a solid foundation for simplifying and solving the entire equation efficiently.