Distributive Law

The "Distributive Law" is the BEST one of all, but needs careful attention.

This is what it lets us do:

 

3 lots of (2+4) is the same as 3 lots of 2 plus 3 lots of 4

So, the 3× can be "distributed" across the 2+4, into 3×2 and 3×4

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And we write it like this:

a × (b + c)  =  a × b  +  a × c

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Try the calculations yourself:

• 3 × (2 + 4)  =  3 × 6  =  18

• 3×2 + 3×4  =  6 + 12  =  18

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Either way gets the same answer.

In English we can say:

We get the same answer when we:

• multiply a number by a group of numbers added together, or

• do each multiply separately then add them