How to find equivalent expressions by combining like terms and using the distributive property

Simplifying the Expression00:00:00

The video starts with the expression x + 2y + x + 2. The first step to simplify is to combine the like terms, which are the 'x' terms.

Combining Like Terms (x + x)00:00:27

By combining 'x' and 'x', the expression becomes 2x + 2y + 2. This is the simplest form of the expression before looking for further equivalent forms.

Checking the Answer Choices00:01:00

The expression 2x + 2y + 2 is then compared to the given choices. The first choice (2x + 4y + 4) is ruled out because it does not match.

Applying the Distributive Property00:01:15

The second choice involves factoring out a 2. Since 2 is a common factor in 2x, 2y, and 2, it can be factored out. This results in the expression 2 * (x + y + 1) which matches one of the provided options, making it an equivalent expression.