Brayden is simplifying the expression 4n – (n – 3)2. He begins by distributing the negative to the terms inside the parentheses. What should he have done instead?

The exponent 2 applies to the entire binomial (n − 3), so Brayden should square the binomial before simplifying the subtraction. For example, (n − 3)² = n² − 6n + 9, and then the minus sign in 4n − (n − 3)² can be distributed. The correct choice is “square the binomial.”

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