What is the distributive property?
The distributive property helps us multiply large numbers by breaking them into smaller, easier parts!
It's like sharing cookies equally among friends - we can break a big problem into smaller, more manageable pieces. The distributive property says that multiplying a number by a sum is the same as multiplying by each addend and then adding the products.
In math terms: \( a \times (b + c) = (a \times b) + (a \times c) \)
How to use the distributive property
1️⃣ Break apart one of the numbers into tens and ones
2️⃣ Multiply the other number by each part
3️⃣ Add the two products together
Let's try some examples!
Example 1: 7 × 13
Let's break 13 into 10 and 3:
7 × 13 = 7 × (10 + 3) = (7 × 10) + (7 × 3) = 70 + 21 = 91
Great job! You just used the distributive property!
Example 2: 6 × 24
Let's break 24 into 20 and 4:
6 × 24 = 6 × (20 + 4) = (6 × 20) + (6 × 4) = 120 + 24 = 144
Awesome! You're getting the hang of this!
Parent Tips 🌟
- Use real-world examples: Show how breaking a large pizza order into smaller boxes uses the same concept (e.g., 4 pizzas for 12 people = 4×10 + 4×2).
- Play the "Break It Down" game: Write multiplication problems on cards and have your child break them into easier parts before solving.
- Visualize with arrays: Draw rectangles divided into parts to show how the distributive property works visually.