Objective - To use the distributive property to

simplify numerical and variable expressions.

Distributive Property
a(b c) a b a c
or
a(b c) a b a c
Order of Operations
Distributive
Property

3(4 5) 3(9) 27
3(4) 3(5)
It works!
12 15
27

Why use the distributive property?

3(x 2) 3(x) 3(2) 3x 6

Simplify using the distributive property.

1) 5(x 3)
4) 4(3 y)
5 x 53
43 4 y
5x 15
12 4y
2) 6(y 7)
6 y 67
6y 42

5) 10(x 7)
10 x 10 7
10x 70

3) 3(m 8)
3 m 38
3m 24

6) 4(k 2)
4 k 4 2
4k 8

Use the distributive property to write an equivalent

expression. Then simplify both to show they have
the same value.
1) 5(8 3) 5(8) 5(3)

5(11)
40 15
same
55
55
2) 6(10 3) 6(10) 6(3)
6(7)
60 18
same
42
42
3) 8(11 5) 8(11) 8(5)
8(6)
88 40
same
48
48

Simplify using the distributive property.

1) 4(x 7)
4) 7(8 x)
4 x 47
78 7 x
4x 28
56 7x
2) y(y 3)
y y y3

y 3y
2

3) x(2x 9)
x 2x x 9

2x 9x
2

5) x(a b c)
xa xb xc
ax bx cx
6) 4(3 m k)
43 4 m 4 k
12 4m 4k

Use the distributive property to write an

equivalent variable expression. Then simplify.
1) 8(x 4)
4) y(5) y(8)
8 x 8 4
y(5 8)
8x 32
13y

21x 14

5) a 3 a 4
a(3 4)
7a

3) 4(5 3x)
4 5 4 3x
20 12x

6) 6m 11m
m(6 11)
17m

2) 7(3x 2)
7 3x 7 2