Math Help please!? How to solve this problem?

Question

How do you solve this problem? I need an explanation as well as the answer. 1/4(12+20a)+3/4(12-20a)

Answer 1

Where is the equal sign???

Answer 2

okay so first off start with one equation at a time.....

in 1/4(12+20a) you distribute [or in other words multiply] 1/4 with 12 and 20 a.

so you get 12/4 + 20a/4.

then simplify to get..... 3 + 5a

now you work with the second equation.

3/4(12-20a) now distribute 3/4 with 12 and -20a.

so you get 36/4 -60a/12

and simplify to get 9 - 5a

now combine the two equations : (3 + 5a + 9 - 5a)

combine like terms. as you can see, the 5a and -5a cancel out each other and it leaves you with 3+9 which is 12.

your final answer is 12 =]

Answer 3

Basically, 1/4 is the same thing as dividing by 4 so you divide both the 12 and the 20a by four.

You should get 3+4a. That is the first part of the problem.

The second part is a tiny bit trickier. All you need to do is times 12-20a by 3 and then divide by 4.

so you should get 9-15a...

and to finally solve, 3+4a+9-15a=12-11a

Answer 4

first lets space it out, it helps me usually..

1/4(12+20a)     +3/4(12-20a)

you have to multiply all of whats in the parenthesis by the outside #

so.. 1/4 times 12 = 3  and  1/4 times 20a = 5a

that gives you (3+5a) on the left

OK now simplify what you have to add the first part to the same way

3/4 times 12 = 9 and 3/4 times -20a = -15a

so now thats (9-15a)

when you add both together like this..

(3+5a) + (9-15a) you get..

     (12-10a) and you can take off the parenthesis to get 12-10a lol