How do you multiply using the distributive property #5(31)#?
1 Answer
Aug 6, 2018
Explanation:
Multiplication is both left-distributive and right-distributive over addition.
That is, for any
#a(b+c) = ab+ac" "# left distributive
#(a+b)c = ac+bc" "# right distributive
We can use left distributivity to make the example product easier to calculate, finding:
#5(31) = 5(30+1) = 5(30)+5(1) = 150+5 = 155#
