Let's say we had to multiply the two binomials (x + 1)(x + 2). We could use the grid method or FOIL, but we will use the grid method for now. Here is how you do it:
1. Identify all the terms in the expression:
x, 1, x, 2
2. Align the terms in a grid-like fashion according to their binomials:
x 1
x
2
3. Now, multiply all the terms together (ex. x × x is x²)
x 1
x x² 1x
2 2x 2
4. Put all products in decreasing order:
x²+1x+2x+2
5. Combine Like Terms (CLT):
x² + 3x + 2
Therefore, the answer is x² + 3x + 2. As you can see, the grid method is figuratively long, and the FOIL method is definitely recommended. Hope this helped!
