20 Practice Expressions (Similar Complexity)

(Featuring negative signs, variable multipliers, and no (x + 1)(x + 2)-style products)

Instructions: Simplify each expression completely. Show your work in the space below
each problem.

 
1. (4x2 + 7) − 3x 2(x + 1) − x2 + 1.

 
2. x − 2x 3 − (x + 4) + 5.
2

   
3. − 3x2 + 1 + 2x x2 − (2x + 5) .

 
4. 5 − 2
3
x (x + 2) − 3 + 4x2 .
2

 
5. (2x2 − 1) − x 4(x − 1) − 3 + 7.

1
  
6. − x2 + 4x x2 + 1 − 2.

   
7. 2 x − (x + 1) − 3x x − 2 + 1.
2

 
8. (3x + 4) −
2 5
2
x 2 − (x + 3) + 6.

 
9. 3x2 + 1
2
x x2 + 4 − 5.

 
10. (x + 9) − 2x x − (4x − 1) + 1.
2 2

 
11. 4 − x 3(x + 2) − 2 + 5x2 .

2
    
12. − 2x2 + 7 − 3x (x − 1) − 4 + 2.

 
13. (6x + 1) −
2 3
4
x x + (x − 2) + 9.
2

 
14. x − 4x 2 − (x + 3) − 1.
2 2

 
15. 7 + 3x (2x2 − 5) − 1 − x2 .

 
16. (5x − 2) + x x + (x + 1) − 10.
2 2

  
17. 4 2
3
x − x 3 − x2 − 2 + 4.

3
  
18. − 3x2 + 5x x2 − (3x + 1) + 8.

 
19. (4x + 1) −
2 1
2
x (x + 5) − 2 − 3.

5
 
20. 2 − x x2 + 4 + (3x2 − 1).
3

4
 Simplified Results (Answers Only)

1. 3x3 − 2x2 − 6x + 8

2. 3x2 + 2x + 5

3. 2x3 − 7x2 − 10x − 1

4. − 32 x3 + 4x2 + 2
3
x + 5

5. −2x2 + 7x + 6

6. 4x3 − x2 + 4x − 2

7. −x2 + 4x − 1

8. 11 2
2
x + 5
2
x + 10

9. 1 3
2
x + 3x2 + 2x − 5

10. −2x3 + 9x2 − 2x + 10

11. 2x2 − 4x + 4

12. −5x2 + 15x − 5

13. − 43 x3 + 21 2
4
x + 3
2
x + 10

14. 4x3 + x2 + 4x − 1

15. 6x3 − x2 − 18x + 7

16. x3 + 6x2 + x − 12

17. x3 + 4 2
3
x − 5x + 4

18. 5x3 − 18x2 − 5x + 8

19. 7 2
2
x − 3
2
x − 2

20. − 35 x3 + 3x2 − 20
3
x + 1

5
 Step-by-Step Solutions (Brief)
General Strategy:

• Distribute carefully inside each bracket (including negative signs).

• Multiply by the outside factor (which may be −x, 3x, − 32 x, etc.).

• Combine like terms: collect x3 terms, x2 terms, x terms, and constants separately.

Below is a concise outline for each. (Use test values of x if you want to double-check your
final.)
h i
1) (4x2 + 7) − 3x 2(x + 1) − x2 + 1 Inside bracket: 2(x + 1) = 2x + 2. Then [2x + 2 − x2 ] =
2x + 2 − x2 . Multiply by −3x: −3x(2x + 2 − x2 ) = −6x2 − 6x + 3x3 . Sum:

4x2 + 7 + 1 + (−6x2 − 6x + 3x3 ) = 3x3 + (4x2 − 6x2 ) + (−6x) + (7 + 1) = 3x3 − 2x2 − 6x + 8.

h i
2) x2 − 2x 3 − (x + 4) + 5 Inside bracket: 3 − (x + 4) = 3 − x − 4 = −x − 1. Multiply by
−2x: −2x(−x − 1) = 2x2 + 2x. Sum: x2 + (2x2 + 2x) + 5 = 3x2 + 2x + 5.
h i
3) −(3x2 + 1) + 2x x2 − (2x + 5) Inside bracket: [x2 − (2x + 5)] = x2 − 2x − 5. Multiply by
2x: 2x(x2 ) = 2x3 , 2x(−2x) = −4x2 , 2x(−5) = −10x. Sum: −3x2 − 1 + (2x3 − 4x2 − 10x) =
2x3 − 7x2 − 10x − 1.
h i
4) 5 − 23 x (x2 + 2) − 3 + 4x2 Inside bracket: (x2 + 2) − 3 = x2 − 1. Multiply by − 32 x:
− 23 x(x2 ) + 32 x = − 32 x3 + 23 x. Sum: 5 + 4x2 + (− 32 x3 + 23 x) = − 23 x3 + 4x2 + 32 x + 5.
h i
5) (2x2 − 1) − x 4(x − 1) − 3 + 7 Inside bracket: 4(x − 1) = 4x − 4, [4x − 4 − 3] = 4x − 7.
Multiply by −x: −x(4x − 7) = −4x2 + 7x. Sum: (2x2 − 1) + 7 + (−4x2 + 7x) = −2x2 + 7x + 6.
h i
6) −x2 + 4x x2 + 1 − 2 Inside bracket: x2 + 1. Multiply by 4x: 4x3 + 4x. Sum: −x2 +
(4x3 + 4x) − 2 = 4x3 − x2 + 4x − 2.
7) 2[x2 − (x + 1)] − 3x[x − 2] + 1 Inside bracket 1: [x2 − (x + 1)] = x2 − x − 1. Multiply
by 2: 2x2 − 2x − 2. Inside bracket 2: [x − 2]. Multiply by −3x: −3x(x − 2) = −3x2 + 6x.
Combine: 2x2 − 2x − 2 + (−3x2 + 6x) + 1 = −x2 + 4x − 1.
h i
8) (3x2 +4)− 52 x 2−(x+3) +6 Inside bracket: [2−(x+3)] = 2−x−3 = −x−1. Multiply by
   
− 25 x: − 25 x(−x − 1) = 25 x2 + 52 x. Sum: (3x2 + 4) + 6 + x + 52 x
5 2
2
= 3+ 5
2
x2 + 25 x + (4 + 6).

3x2 = 62 x2 , 6 2
2
x + 52 x2 = 11 2
2
x, 4 + 6 = 10.

6
Hence 11 2
2
x + 25 x + 10.
9) 3x2 + 12 x[x2 + 4] − 5 Inside bracket: x2 + 4. Multiply by 12 x: 12 x3 + 2x. Sum: 3x2 + ( 12 x3 +
2x) − 5 = 12 x3 + 3x2 + 2x − 5.
10) (x2 + 9) − 2x[x2 − (4x − 1)] + 1 Inside bracket: [x2 − (4x − 1)] = x2 − 4x + 1. Multiply
by −2x: −2x(x2 − 4x + 1) = −2x3 + 8x2 − 2x. Sum: (x2 + 9) + 1 + (−2x3 + 8x2 − 2x) =
−2x3 + (x2 + 8x2 ) − 2x + (9 + 1) = −2x3 + 9x2 − 2x + 10.
11) 4 − x[3(x + 2) − 2] + 5x2 Inside bracket: 3(x + 2) = 3x + 6, [3x + 6 − 2] = 3x + 4.
Multiply by −x: −x(3x + 4) = −3x2 − 4x. Sum: 4 + 5x2 + (−3x2 − 4x) = 2x2 − 4x + 4.
12) −(2x2 + 7) − 3x[(x − 1) − 4] + 2 Inside bracket: (x − 1) − 4 = x − 5. Multiply by −3x:
−3x(x−5) = −3x2 +15x. Also −(2x2 +7) = −2x2 −7. Combine: −2x2 −7+2+(−3x2 +15x) =
−5x2 + 15x − 5.
13) (6x2 + 1) − 43 x[x2 + (x − 2)] + 9 Inside bracket: [x2 + (x − 2)] = x2 + x − 2. Multiply by
 
− 43 x: − 43 x3 − 34 x2 + 32 x. (Be sure signs are correct.) Sum: (6x2 + 1) + 9 + − 34 x3 − 34 x2 + 32 x .
6x2 = 24 4
x2 , 24
4
x2 − 34 x2 = 214
x2 . Constants: 1 + 9 = 10. So − 34 x3 + 21
4
x2 + 32 x + 10.
h i
14) x2 − 4x 2 − (x2 + 3) − 1 Inside bracket: [2 − (x2 + 3)] = 2 − x2 − 3 = −x2 − 1. Multiply
by −4x: −4x(−x2 − 1) = 4x3 + 4x. Sum: x2 − 1 + (4x3 + 4x) = 4x3 + x2 + 4x − 1.
15) 7 + 3x[(2x2 − 5) − 1] − x2 Inside bracket: (2x2 − 5) − 1 = 2x2 − 6. Multiply by 3x:
3x(2x2 ) − 3x(6) = 6x3 − 18x. Sum: 7 − x2 + (6x3 − 18x) = 6x3 − x2 − 18x + 7.
16) (5x2 − 2) + x[x2 + (x + 1)] − 10 Inside bracket: [x2 + (x + 1)] = x2 + x + 1. Multiply by x:
x3 +x2 +x. Now (5x2 −2)−10 = 5x2 −12. Sum: (5x2 −12)+(x3 +x2 +x) = x3 +6x2 +x−12.
i
17) 43 x2 − x[ 3 − (x2 − 2) + 4 Inside bracket: [3 − (x2 − 2)] = 3 − x2 + 2 = 5 − x2 . Multiply
by −x: −x(5 − x2 ) = −5x + x3 . Sum: 43 x2 + 4 + (x3 − 5x) = x3 + 43 x2 − 5x + 4.
18) −3x2 + 5x[x2 − (3x + 1)] + 8 Inside bracket: [x2 − (3x + 1)] = x2 − 3x − 1. Multiply by
5x: 5x(x2 ) = 5x3 , 5x(−3x) = −15x2 , 5x(−1) = −5x. Sum: −3x2 + 8 + (5x3 − 15x2 − 5x) =
5x3 − 18x2 − 5x + 8.
19) (4x2 + 1) − 21 x[(x + 5) − 2] − 3 Inside bracket: [(x + 5) − 2] = x + 3. Multiply by − 21 x:
 
− 12 x(x + 3) = − 12 x2 − 32 x. Sum: (4x2 + 1) − 3 + − 21 x2 − 32 x = 4x2 − 12 x2 + (− 32 x) + (1 − 3).
4x2 = 82 x2 , 82 x2 − 12 x2 = 72 x2 , 1 − 3 = −2. Hence 72 x2 − 32 x − 2.
20) 2 − 53 x[x2 + 4] + (3x2 − 1) Inside bracket: [x2 + 4]. Multiply by − 35 x: − 53 x3 − 20
3
x. Sum:
 
2 + (3x − 1) + − 3 x − 3 x
2 5 3 20

= − 53 x3 + 3x2 − 20
3
x + 1.

7
End of solutions. Remember: If any sign seems off, substitute a simple value (like x = 0)
into both the original and your final expression to confirm correctness.