Simplifying by removing brackets

The purpose of brackets is to ensure that the same operation is carried out on every
term within them.

Removing the brackets involves carrying out whatever that operation is.

Common operations involve expanding brackets; division; and powers.

Expanding brackets:

The operation is multiplication so each separate term inside the brackets must be multiplied by the
term outside.

For example

2(2 5) =

Division:

All terms in the denominator are divided by the denominator.

For example

6 + 4
=
2

Powers:

All items within the bracket are raised to the same power.

For example

(2 2 )3 =

MUST
UNDERSTAND