REMOVING GROUPING SYMBOLS

The following grouping symbols are often used:

{ } braces; [ ] brackets and ( ) parentheses.

An algebraic expression with grouping symbols can be simplified by removing the grouping symbols and
combining similar terms. When removing a grouping symbols preceded by a minus sign/ all terms within
the grouping symbols will have their signs changed. However, when a grouping symbol is preceded by a
plus sign, all terms within the grouping symbols will not change their signs.

Example 1. 3𝑚 − (2𝑛 + 𝑚) + (𝑚 − 𝑛)

= 3𝑚 − 2𝑛 − 𝑚 + 𝑚 − 𝑛

= 3𝑚 − 3𝑛.

Any constant or variable preceding a grouping symbol should be multiplied to each term within the
grouping symbols by using the distributive property of multiplication over addition.

Example 2. 2(𝑎 − 3) + 𝑎(4 + 𝑏) − 3𝑎(𝑏 − 1)

= 2𝑎 − 6 + 4𝑎 + 𝑎𝑏 − 3𝑎𝑏 − 3𝑎

= 9𝑎 − 2𝑎𝑏 − 6

When an expression has several grouping symbols to be removed, start from the innermost symbols
first.

Example 3. 𝑎 + {[8𝑏 + 3𝑎 − (9𝑎 − 3𝑏)] + 4𝑎}

= 𝑎 + {[8𝑏 + 3𝑎 − 9𝑎 + 3𝑏] + 4𝑎}

= 𝑎 + {[11𝑏 − 6𝑎] + 4𝑎}

= 𝑎 + {11𝑏 − 6𝑎 + 4𝑎}

= 𝑎 + {11𝑏 − 2𝑎}

= 𝑎 + 11𝑏 − 2𝑎

= −𝑎 + 11𝑏