Basic Math Examples

$(\frac{1}{2} a + \frac{1}{b}) (\frac{1}{3} a^{2} - \frac{1}{6} b)$

Step 1

Simplify terms.

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Step 1.1

Combine $\frac{1}{2}$ and $a$ .

$(\frac{a}{2} + \frac{1}{b}) (\frac{1}{3} a^{2} - \frac{1}{6} b)$

Step 1.2

Simplify each term.

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Step 1.2.1

Combine $\frac{1}{3}$ and $a^{2}$ .

$(\frac{a}{2} + \frac{1}{b}) (\frac{a^{2}}{3} - \frac{1}{6} b)$

Step 1.2.2

Combine $b$ and $\frac{1}{6}$ .

$(\frac{a}{2} + \frac{1}{b}) (\frac{a^{2}}{3} - \frac{b}{6})$

Step 2

Expand $(\frac{a}{2} + \frac{1}{b}) (\frac{a^{2}}{3} - \frac{b}{6})$ using the FOIL Method.

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Step 2.1

Apply the distributive property.

$\frac{a}{2} (\frac{a^{2}}{3} - \frac{b}{6}) + \frac{1}{b} (\frac{a^{2}}{3} - \frac{b}{6})$

Step 2.2

Apply the distributive property.

$\frac{a}{2} \cdot \frac{a^{2}}{3} + \frac{a}{2} (- \frac{b}{6}) + \frac{1}{b} (\frac{a^{2}}{3} - \frac{b}{6})$

Step 2.3

Apply the distributive property.

$\frac{a}{2} \cdot \frac{a^{2}}{3} + \frac{a}{2} (- \frac{b}{6}) + \frac{1}{b} \cdot \frac{a^{2}}{3} + \frac{1}{b} (- \frac{b}{6})$

Step 3

Simplify each term.

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Step 3.1

Combine.

$\frac{a \cdot a^{2}}{2 \cdot 3} + \frac{a}{2} (- \frac{b}{6}) + \frac{1}{b} \cdot \frac{a^{2}}{3} + \frac{1}{b} (- \frac{b}{6})$

Step 3.2

Multiply $a$ by $a^{2}$ by adding the exponents.

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Step 3.2.1

Multiply $a$ by $a^{2}$ .

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Step 3.2.1.1

Raise $a$ to the power of $1$ .

$\frac{a^{1} a^{2}}{2 \cdot 3} + \frac{a}{2} (- \frac{b}{6}) + \frac{1}{b} \cdot \frac{a^{2}}{3} + \frac{1}{b} (- \frac{b}{6})$

Step 3.2.1.2

Use the power rule $a^{m} a^{n} = a^{m + n}$ to combine exponents.

$\frac{a^{1 + 2}}{2 \cdot 3} + \frac{a}{2} (- \frac{b}{6}) + \frac{1}{b} \cdot \frac{a^{2}}{3} + \frac{1}{b} (- \frac{b}{6})$

Step 3.2.2

Add $1$ and $2$ .

$\frac{a^{3}}{2 \cdot 3} + \frac{a}{2} (- \frac{b}{6}) + \frac{1}{b} \cdot \frac{a^{2}}{3} + \frac{1}{b} (- \frac{b}{6})$

Step 3.3

Multiply $2$ by $3$ .

$\frac{a^{3}}{6} + \frac{a}{2} (- \frac{b}{6}) + \frac{1}{b} \cdot \frac{a^{2}}{3} + \frac{1}{b} (- \frac{b}{6})$

Step 3.4

Rewrite using the commutative property of multiplication.

$\frac{a^{3}}{6} - \frac{a}{2} \cdot \frac{b}{6} + \frac{1}{b} \cdot \frac{a^{2}}{3} + \frac{1}{b} (- \frac{b}{6})$

Step 3.5

Multiply $- \frac{a}{2} \cdot \frac{b}{6}$ .

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Step 3.5.1

Multiply $\frac{b}{6}$ by $\frac{a}{2}$ .

$\frac{a^{3}}{6} - \frac{b a}{6 \cdot 2} + \frac{1}{b} \cdot \frac{a^{2}}{3} + \frac{1}{b} (- \frac{b}{6})$

Step 3.5.2

Multiply $6$ by $2$ .

$\frac{a^{3}}{6} - \frac{b a}{12} + \frac{1}{b} \cdot \frac{a^{2}}{3} + \frac{1}{b} (- \frac{b}{6})$

Step 3.6

Combine.

$\frac{a^{3}}{6} - \frac{b a}{12} + \frac{1 a^{2}}{b \cdot 3} + \frac{1}{b} (- \frac{b}{6})$

Step 3.7

Multiply $a^{2}$ by $1$ .

$\frac{a^{3}}{6} - \frac{b a}{12} + \frac{a^{2}}{b \cdot 3} + \frac{1}{b} (- \frac{b}{6})$

Step 3.8

Move $3$ to the left of $b$ .

$\frac{a^{3}}{6} - \frac{b a}{12} + \frac{a^{2}}{3 \cdot b} + \frac{1}{b} (- \frac{b}{6})$

Step 3.9

Rewrite using the commutative property of multiplication.

$\frac{a^{3}}{6} - \frac{b a}{12} + \frac{a^{2}}{3 b} - \frac{1}{b} \cdot \frac{b}{6}$

Step 3.10

Cancel the common factor of $b$ .

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Step 3.10.1

Move the leading negative in $- \frac{1}{b}$ into the numerator.

$\frac{a^{3}}{6} - \frac{b a}{12} + \frac{a^{2}}{3 b} + \frac{- 1}{b} \cdot \frac{b}{6}$

Step 3.10.2

Cancel the common factor.

$\frac{a^{3}}{6} - \frac{b a}{12} + \frac{a^{2}}{3 b} + \frac{- 1}{b} \cdot \frac{b}{6}$

Step 3.10.3

Rewrite the expression.

$\frac{a^{3}}{6} - \frac{b a}{12} + \frac{a^{2}}{3 b} - \frac{1}{6}$