Why is subtracting an expression similar to distributing a –1? Use the drop-down menus to explain your answer. You each term inside the parentheses by –1 in order to subtract each term, since subtraction Is the additive inverse.

When subtracting expressions, we are applying the distributive property, where a multiple of an expression in brackets is applied to to each term.

e.g.

a(x + y) = ax + ay

In the case of subtracting an expression, we're doing the same thing, but in the example above, "a" would be equal to -1.

(a + b) - (c + d) ≡ (a + b) + -1(c + d)

And so the negative one is distributed across the terms within the brackets.

4163 is for ll thw skates