Sure, let's simplify the expression [tex]$-6(a + 8)$[/tex] step-by-step using the distributive property.
### Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Identify the expression inside the parentheses:
[tex]\[
a + 8
\][/tex]
2. Use the distributive property to multiply each term inside the parentheses by [tex]$-6$[/tex]:
[tex]\[
-6 \cdot a + -6 \cdot 8
\][/tex]
3. Perform the multiplication for each term:
[tex]\[
-6 \cdot a = -6a
\][/tex]
[tex]\[
-6 \cdot 8 = -48
\][/tex]
4. Combine the results:
[tex]\[
-6a + -48
\][/tex]
This simplifies to:
[tex]\[
-6a - 48
\][/tex]
So, the simplified expression is:
[tex]\[
-6a - 48
\][/tex]