To start off Quantities can be compared in terms of "more", "less", or "equal". (definition)
1. In expressions, there is always a quantity of something, whether an object being weighed, or an object being counted. To show how quantities are related you would have something to equal to, less than, or more than. which is being compared to one another.
2. (12 * x) + 8 //// 8+ 12x //// 8 + (12 * x). This is all based on communitive property, and just switched the numbers around. they all equal to the same answer.
3a. 15 + 9x
3b. the length would be 9. This is because an equilateral triangle has 3 of the same length of sizes, and x represents the length of each side. making x=3