How do I use the distributive property to show that the following is a true statement?
8.5m + 1.3m = 9.8m
To use the distributive property to show that 8.5m + 1.3m = 9.8m is a true statement, we need to distribute the coefficients to the variable.
The distributive property states that a(b + c) = ab + ac, where "a" is a constant and "b" and "c" are variables or expressions.
In this case, we have 8.5m + 1.3m on the left side of the equation. To apply the distributive property, you would distribute the coefficients (8.5 and 1.3) to the variable "m" individually.
So, we can rewrite the left side of the equation as:
8.5m + 1.3m = (8.5)(m) + (1.3)(m)
Now, multiply the coefficients by the variable:
(8.5)(m) + (1.3)(m) = 8.5m + 1.3m
By applying the distributive property, we've shown that 8.5m + 1.3m is equal to the original expression on the left side.
Therefore, the statement 8.5m + 1.3m = 9.8m is true, and the distributive property was used to prove its equality.
Distributive property:
ac + bc = (a+b)c
a=8.5
b=1.3
c=m
Substitute.