Let's solve the equation [tex]\(4(c - 3) = 8\)[/tex] step-by-step and identify two different methods to start solving it.
### Method 1: Use the distributive property
1. Distribute the 4 across [tex]\((c - 3)\)[/tex]:
[tex]\[
4(c - 3) = 8 \rightarrow 4c - 12 = 8
\][/tex]
This simplification rewrites the left-hand side of the equation to eliminate the parentheses.
### Method 2: Divide both sides by 4
1. Divide both sides of the equation by 4:
[tex]\[
4(c - 3) = 8 \rightarrow \frac{4(c - 3)}{4} = \frac{8}{4} \rightarrow c - 3 = 2
\][/tex]
This step simplifies the equation directly by reducing it to a simpler form.
So, the two methods to start solving this equation are:
1. Use the distributive property to get [tex]\(4c - 12 = 8\)[/tex].
2. Divide both sides by 4 to get [tex]\(c - 3 = 2\)[/tex].
These two methods represent standard techniques used in algebra to begin simplifying an equation.
