Question

Use the distributive property to write an equivalent variable expression.

$( s + 20 ) (- 7)$

Short answer

$(s + 20) (- 7)= - 7s - 140$.

Step-by-step solution

Step-1 – What are real numbers? 

Real numbers are simply the combination of Whole numbers, Integers, Rational and Irrational numbers in the number system.

Step-2 – Distributive Property of Multiplication 

Suppose a, b, and c is three real numbers.

Distributive Property of Multiplication

Property: $( \text{b} + \text{c} ) (- \text{a} ) = \text{b} · (- \text{a} ) + \text{c} · (- \text{a} ) \text{=} -\text{b} · \text{a} - \text{c} · \text{a}$

Example: $\text{(8} + \text{5} \text{)} (- 3)= 8 · (-3) + 5 · (-3) = -24-15=- 39$

Step-3:  Use the distributive property to write an equivalent variable expression.   

Property: $( \text{b} + \text{c} ) (- \text{a} ) = \text{b} · (- \text{a} ) + \text{c} · (- \text{a} ) \text{=} -\text{b} · \text{a} - \text{c} · \text{a}$

$\begin{array}{l}(s+20)(-7)=s·(-7)+20·(-7)=-7s-140\\ (s+20)(-7)=-7s-140\end{array}$