Definition
The distributive property says that multiplying a number by a group of numbers added together is the same as doing each multiplication separately and then adding the results.
Imagine splitting a rectangle into two smaller rectangles. The total area is the sum of the two smaller areas, which matches multiplying the full length by the full width.
Examples
- 3 x (4 + 2) = (3 x 4) + (3 x 2) = 12 + 6 = 18.
- 5 x (10 + 3) = 50 + 15 = 65.
- 2 x (6 + 1) = 12 + 2 = 14.