Distributive Property m81317 Distributive Property By the end of this section, you will be able to: Simplify expressions using the distributive property Evaluate expressions using the distributive property 8f5f6a48-fd5c-4841-aeeb-5becb3a76af3 Before you get started, take this readiness quiz. Multiply: 3(0.25). If you missed this problem, review 0.75 Simplify: 10−(−2)(3). If you missed this problem, review 16 Combine like terms: 9y+17+3y−2. If you missed this problem, review . 12y+15
Simplify Expressions Using the Distributive Property Suppose three friends are going to the movies. They each need $9.25; that is, 9 dollars and 1 quarter. How much money do they need all together? You can think about the dollars separately from the quarters. They need 3 times $9, so $27, and 3 times 1 quarter, so 75 cents. In total, they need $27.75. If you think about doing the math in this way, you are using the Distributive Property. Distributive Property If a,b,c are real numbers, then Back to our friends at the movies, we could show the math steps we take to find the total amount of money they need like this: In algebra, we use the Distributive Property to remove parentheses as we simplify expressions. For example, if we are asked to simplify the expression 3(x+4), the order of operations says to work in the parentheses first. But we cannot add x and 4, since they are not like terms. So we use the Distributive Property, as shown in . Simplify: 3(x+4). Solution 3(x+4) Distribute. 3·x+3·4 Multiply. 3x+12
Simplify: 4(x+2). 4x + 8 Simplify: 6(x+7). 6x + 42 Some students find it helpful to draw in arrows to remind them how to use the Distributive Property. Then the first step in would look like this: Simplify: 6(5y+1). Solution Distribute. Multiply.
Simplify: 9(3y+8). 27y + 72 Simplify: 5(5w+9). 25w + 45 The distributive property can be used to simplify expressions that look slightly different from a(b+c). Here are two other forms. Distributive PropertyIf a,b,c are real numbers, then Other forms Simplify: 2(x−3). Solution Distribute. Multiply.
Simplify: 7(x−6). 7x − 42 Simplify: 8(x−5). 8x − 40 Do you remember how to multiply a fraction by a whole number? We’ll need to do that in the next two examples. Simplify: 34(n+12). Solution Distribute. Simplify.
Simplify: 25(p+10). 25p+4 Simplify: 37(u+21). 37u+9 Simplify: 8(38x+14). Solution Distribute. Multiply.
Simplify: 6(56y+12). 5y + 3 Simplify: 12(13n+34). 4n + 9 Using the Distributive Property as shown in the next example will be very useful when we solve money applications later. Simplify: 100(0.3+0.25q). Solution Distribute. Multiply.
Simplify: 100(0.7+0.15p). 70 + 15p Simplify: 100(0.04+0.35d). 4 + 35d In the next example we’ll multiply by a variable. We’ll need to do this in a later chapter. Simplify: m(n−4). Solution Distribute. Multiply.
Notice that we wrote m·4as4m. We can do this because of the Commutative Property of Multiplication. When a term is the product of a number and a variable, we write the number first.
Simplify: r(s−2). rs − 2r Simplify: y(z−8). yz − 8y The next example will use the ‘backwards’ form of the Distributive Property, (b+c)a=ba+ca. Simplify: (x+8)p. Solution Distribute.
Simplify: (x+2)p. xp + 2p Simplify: (y+4)q. yq + 4q When you distribute a negative number, you need to be extra careful to get the signs correct. Simplify: −2(4y+1). Solution Distribute. Simplify.
Simplify: −3(6m+5). −18m − 15 Simplify: −6(8n+11). −48n − 66 Simplify: −11(4−3a). Solution Distribute. Multiply. Simplify.
You could also write the result as 33a−44. Do you know why?
Simplify: −5(2−3a). −10 + 15a Simplify: −7(8−15y). −56 + 105y In the next example, we will show how to use the Distributive Property to find the opposite of an expression. Remember, −a=−1·a. Simplify: −(y+5). Solution Multiplying by −1 results in the opposite. Distribute. Simplify. Simplify.
Simplify: −(z−11). −z + 11 Simplify: −(x−4). −x + 4 Sometimes we need to use the Distributive Property as part of the order of operations. Start by looking at the parentheses. If the expression inside the parentheses cannot be simplified, the next step would be multiply using the distributive property, which removes the parentheses. The next two examples will illustrate this. Simplify: 8−2(x+3). Solution Distribute. Multiply. Combine like terms.
Simplify: 9−3(x+2). −3x + 3 Simplify: 7x−5(x+4). 2x − 20 Simplify: 4(x−8)−(x+3). Solution Distribute. Combine like terms.
Simplify: 6(x−9)−(x+12). 5x − 66 Simplify: 8(x−1)−(x+5). 7x − 13
Evaluate Expressions Using the Distributive Property Some students need to be convinced that the Distributive Property always works. In the examples below, we will practice evaluating some of the expressions from previous examples; in part ⓐ , we will evaluate the form with parentheses, and in part ⓑ we will evaluate the form we got after distributing. If we evaluate both expressions correctly, this will show that they are indeed equal. When y=10 evaluate: ⓐ 6(5y+1) ⓑ 6·5y+6·1. Solution ⓐ 6(5y+1) Simplify in the parentheses. 6(51) Multiply. 306
ⓑ Simplify. Add.
Notice, the answers are the same. When y=10, Try it yourself for a different value of y.
Evaluate when w=3:ⓐ 5(5w+9)ⓑ 5·5w+5·9. ⓐ 120ⓑ 120 Evaluate when y=2:ⓐ 9(3y+8)ⓑ 9·3y+9·8. ⓐ 126ⓑ 126 When y=3, evaluate ⓐ −2(4y+1)ⓑ −2·4y+(−2)·1. Solution ⓐ −2(4y+1) Simplify in the parentheses. −2(13) Multiply. −26
ⓑ −2·4y+(−2)·1 Multiply. −24−2 Subtract. −26 The answers are the same. When y=3, −2(4y+1)=−8y−2
Evaluate when n=−2:ⓐ −6(8n+11)ⓑ −6·8n+(−6)·11. ⓐ 30ⓑ 30 Evaluate when m=−1:ⓐ −3(6m+5)ⓑ −3·6m+(−3)·5. ⓐ 3ⓑ 3 When y=35 evaluate ⓐ −(y+5) and ⓑ −y−5 to show that −(y+5)=−y−5. Solution ⓐ −(y+5) Add in the parentheses. −(40) Simplify. −40
ⓑ −y−5 Simplify. −40 The answers are the same when y=35, demonstrating that −(y+5)=−y−5
Evaluate when x=36:ⓐ −(x−4)ⓑ −x+4 to show that −(x−4)=−x+4. ⓐ −32ⓑ −32 Evaluate when z=55:ⓐ −(z−10)ⓑ −z+10 to show that −(z−10)=−z+10. ⓐ −45ⓑ −45 ACCESS ADDITIONAL ONLINE RESOURCES Model Distribution The Distributive Property
Key Concepts Distributive Property:If a,b,c are real numbers thena(b+c)=ab+ac (b+c)a=ba+ca a(b-c)=ab-ac
Practice Makes PerfectSimplify Expressions Using the Distributive Property In the following exercises, simplify using the distributive property. 4(x+8) 3(a+9) 3a + 27 8(4y+9) 9(3w+7) 27w + 63 6(c−13) 7(y−13) 7y − 91 7(3p−8) 5(7u−4) 35u − 20 12(n+8) 13(u+9) 13u+3 14(3q+12) 15(4m+20) 45m+4 9(59y−13) 10(310x−25) 3x − 4 12(14+23r) 12(16+34s) 2 + 9s r(s−18) u(v−10) uv − 10u (y+4)p (a+7)x ax + 7x −2(y+13) −3(a+11) −3a − 33 −7(4p+1) −9(9a+4) −81a − 36 −3(x−6) −4(q−7) −4q + 28 −9(3a−7) −6(7x−8) −42x + 48 −(r+7) −(q+11) −q − 11 −(3x−7) −(5p−4) −5p + 4 5+9(n−6) 12+8(u−1) 8u + 4 16−3(y+8) 18−4(x+2) −4x + 10 4−11(3c−2) 9−6(7n−5) −42n + 39 22−(a+3) 8−(r−7) −r + 15 −12−(u+10) −4−(c−10) −c + 6 (5m−3)−(m+7) (4y−1)−(y−2) 3y + 1 5(2n+9)+12(n−3) 9(5u+8)+2(u−6) 47u + 60 9(8x−3)−(−2) 4(6x−1)−(−8) 24x + 4 14(c−1)−8(c−6) 11(n−7)−5(n−1) 6n − 72 6(7y+8)−(30y−15) 7(3n+9)−(4n−13) 17n + 76 Evaluate Expressions Using the Distributive Property In the following exercises, evaluate both expressions for the given value. If v=−2, evaluate ⓐ 6(4v+7)ⓑ 6·4v+6·7 If u=−1, evaluate ⓐ 8(5u+12)ⓑ 8·5u+8·12 ⓐ 56ⓑ 56 If n=23, evaluate ⓐ 3(n+56)ⓑ 3·n+3·56 If y=34, evaluate ⓐ 4(y+38)ⓑ 4·y+4·38 ⓐ 92ⓑ 92 If y=712, evaluate ⓐ −3(4y+15)ⓑ −3·4y+(−3)·15 If p=2330, evaluate ⓐ −6(5p+11)ⓑ −6·5p+(−6)·11 ⓐ −89ⓑ −89 If m=0.4, evaluate ⓐ −10(3m−0.9)ⓑ −10·3m−(−10)(0.9) If n=0.75, evaluate ⓐ −100(5n+1.5)ⓑ −100·5n+(−100)(1.5) ⓐ −525ⓑ −525 If y=−25, evaluate ⓐ −(y−25)ⓑ −y+25 If w=−80, evaluate ⓐ −(w−80)ⓑ −w+80 ⓐ 160ⓑ 160 If p=0.19, evaluate ⓐ −(p+0.72)ⓑ −p−0.72 If q=0.55, evaluate ⓐ −(q+0.48)ⓑ −q−0.48 ⓐ −1.03ⓑ −1.03
Everyday Math Buying by the case Joe can buy his favorite ice tea at a convenience store for $1.99 per bottle. At the grocery store, he can buy a case of 12 bottles for $23.88. ⓐ Use the distributive property to find the cost of 12 bottles bought individually at the convenience store. (Hint: notice that $1.99 is $2−$0.01.) ⓑ Is it a bargain to buy the iced tea at the grocery store by the case? Multi-pack purchase Adele’s shampoo sells for $3.97 per bottle at the drug store. At the warehouse store, the same shampoo is sold as a 3-pack for $10.49. ⓐ Show how you can use the distributive property to find the cost of 3 bottles bought individually at the drug store. ⓑ How much would Adele save by buying the 3-pack at the warehouse store? ⓐ 3(4 − 0.03) = 11.91ⓑ $1.42
Writing Exercises Simplify 8(x−14) using the distributive property and explain each step. Explain how you can multiply 4($5.97) without paper or a calculator by thinking of $5.97 as 6−0.03 and then using the distributive property. Answers will vary.
Self Checkⓐ After completing the exercises, use this checklist to evaluate your mastery of the objectives of this section.
ⓑ What does this checklist tell you about your mastery of this section? What steps will you take to improve?