Draw a rectangle with the given width and length. Then use the distributive property to write each areas a product and as a sum. 3 and (4+6)

Question

Trying to help my son and I don't know how yo do it

Answer 1

Try drawing 2 connected rectangles like this  

 

    -----------------------------

    |             |                     |

    |             |                     |   3  

    |             |                     |

    -----------------------------  

           4                6  

 

Note that the area of the rectangle on the left is 3*4 = 12, and the area of the rectangle on the right is 3*6 = 18, and that the area of the whole big rectangle is 3*(4+6) = 3*10 = 30.  This is what the distributive property says, that

 

3*(4+6) = 3*4 + 3*6