5 – 3(2x+4) = 25

Multiply each term in the parentheses by -3

5 + (-3)(2x) + (-3)(4) = 25

5 – 6x – 12 = 25

2) First distribute the -3

3) Combine like terms if possible

4) Distribute to get rid of parentheses.

5) Distribute the -3.

-3(3+4)

Well, 3 + 4 = 7, so -3(7) would be -21, but that’s NOT distributing. Instead we’ll distribute the -3 and the problem becomes:

(-3 x 3) + (-3 x 4)

To see that we end up with the same answer, let’s finish this one out:

(-9) + (-12) = -21

For your first problem, you’ll be distributing the -3 and it will look like this:

5 – 3(2x + 4) = 25

5 + (-3 * 2x) + (-3 * +4) = 25

5 – 6x – 12 = 25

Normally at this point you combine like terms, but the question didn’t ask for that, so I’ll leave it at this. Now try the rest doing the same thing.