Mastering the Distributive Property: A Key to Simplifying Algebraic Equations and Expressions

Distributive Property

a(b + c) = ab + ac; a number outside the parenthesis can be multiplied to each term within the parenthesis

The distributive property is a mathematical rule that states that when a number is multiplied by the sum or difference of two or more terms, we can distribute or multiply the number to each term within the parentheses and then combine the resulting products.

For example, the distributive property can be used to rewrite the expression 3(2x + 4) as follows:

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

= 6x + 12

In this example, the number 3 is distributed or multiplied to each term within the parentheses (2x and 4), resulting in 6x and 12, respectively. These two products are then combined to get the final expression of 6x + 12, which is equivalent to the original expression of 3(2x + 4).

The distributive property is a widely used mathematical rule in algebra and can be applied to simplify complex expressions and equations. It is important to understand and apply the distributive property correctly to solve equations and algebraic problems effectively.

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