Exploring The Math Distributive Property: Simplify Expressions With Ease

Distributive Property

3(2x + 4) = 6x + 12

The distributive property is a mathematical rule that is used to expand expressions involving multiplication over addition or subtraction. It states that when you have a number or variable that is being multiplied by a sum or difference, you can simplify the expression by distributing (or multiplying) the number or variable to each term in the sum or difference.

For example, let’s say we have the expression 2(x + 3). Using the distributive property, we can simplify this to 2x + 6. We do this by distributing the 2 to both x and 3, which gives us 2x + 6.

Another example would be to simplify 3(y – 2). Using the distributive property, we can simplify this to 3y – 6. We do this by distributing the 3 to both y and -2, which gives us 3y – 6.

In general, the distributive property can be expressed as:

a(b + c) = ab + ac (distributing a to both b and c)

or

a(b – c) = ab – ac (distributing a to both b and -c)

The distributive property is a useful tool in algebra and can help simplify complex expressions by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable pieces.

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