Christopher D. answered • 09/04/13
Tutor
4.9
(383)
Computer Programmer and Educator
The distributive property states that if you have a number, k multiplying a sum, a + b, instead of adding the two number first then multiplying, k * (a + b) you can instead multiply the number to both addends and add those two products together, k * a + k * b.
E.g. 4 * (3 + 2) = 4 * (5) = 20
or 4 * (3 + 2) = 4 * 3 + 4 * 2 = 12 + 8 = 20
E.g. 4 * (10 + 3) = 4 * 10 + 4 * 3 = 40 + 12 = 52
or 4 * (10 + 3) = 4 * 13 = 52
-2 (2 + p) = (-2)(2) + (-2)(p) = -4 - 2p
