Objective
To use the Distributive Property to simplify expressions
To solve problems in mathematics, it is often useful to rewrite expressions in simpler forms. The Distributive Property, illustrated by the area model below, is another property of real numbers that helps you to simplify expressions.
Essential Understanding You can use the Distributive Property to simplify the product of a number and a sum or difference.
Let a, b, and c be real numbers.
Algebra | Examples |
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a(b + c) = ab + ac | 4(20 + 6) = 4(20) + 4(6) |
(b + c)a = ba + ca | (20 + 6)4 = 20(4) + 6(4) |
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