Distributive Property

The distributive property is a fundamental concept in mathematics that helps in simplifying expressions and solving equations. It is used to distribute a value across the terms inside parentheses. The general form of the distributive property is:

a * (b + c) = (a * b) + (a * c)

This means that when a value is multiplied by the sum of two other values inside the parentheses, it can be distributed or split up and multiplied with each term inside the parentheses individually.

Example:

Let's consider the expression 3 * (2 + 4). Using the distributive property, we can simplify it as:

3 * (2 + 4) = (3 * 2) + (3 * 4) = 6 + 12 = 18

It's important to note that the distributive property also works in reverse. That is, we can also use it to factor out a common term from multiple terms in an expression.

Example:

Consider the expression 5x + 10x. We can factor out the common term '5' using the distributive property as:

5x + 10x = 5(x) + 5(2x) = 5(x + 2x) = 5(3x) = 15x

Study Guide:

1. Understand the concept of multiplication and addition.
2. Learn to recognize expressions where the distributive property can be applied.
3. Practice applying the distributive property to simplify expressions and solve equations.
4. Understand how to factor out common terms using the distributive property.
5. Practice with various examples to strengthen your understanding of the concept.

By mastering the distributive property, you will be able to simplify expressions and equations more efficiently, which is a crucial skill in algebra and higher-level mathematics.

[Distributive Property] Related Worksheets and Study Guides:

• Distributive PropertyMathematics • Sixth Grade