The Algebra Distributive Property – A Simple Introduction
The algebra distributive property lets you multiply a sum by multiplying each part separately and then adding those amounts together. These words are bound to confuse the reader, so let’s consider an example that will demonstrate what we mean. The Example We want to multiply 4x7. Let’s write it as (4)(7). Then, (4)(7) = 28 Now let’s replace 4 with its equivalent, 3+1. And let’s replace 7 with its equivalent, 5+2. Then, (3+1)(5+2) = 28 This seems to be a pretty strange way to write 4x7, doesn’t it? Yet in mathematics – in algebra-style notation – it is just as correct as 4x7. In this form, we can hopefully explain in an understandable way, how the algebra distributive property works. Refer to the diagram to see how we can do…