" 2(x + 8) " . ______________________________________________________ The expression could be further simplified. ______________________________________________________ Note the "distributive property" of multiplication: ______________________________________________________ a(b + c) = ab + ac ; a(b – c) = ab – ac . __________________________________________ As such: __________________________________________ 2(x + 8) = 2*x + 2*8 = 2x + 16 . __________________________________________ The simplified version is: " 2x + 16 " . __________________________________________