It says to:
Use the Distributive Property to show that the following are true statements:
8.5m + 1.3m = 9.8m
What does it mean to use the distributive property? Can't i just add the first two terms?
Yes, that's what you would do,
but, they want you to show "why" that works, I guess, so ...
8.5m + 1.3m
= m(8.5 + 1.3)
= m(9.8
= 9.8m
(sort of like removing a mole-hill with a bulldozer)
define ability grouping
To use the distributive property, you need to understand the concept of distributing or multiplying a number or term to every term inside parentheses. The distributive property states that for any three numbers, a, b, and c, the equation a(b + c) is equivalent to ab + ac.
In the given equation 8.5m + 1.3m = 9.8m, we can use the distributive property to show that it is true. Here's how:
1. Identify the common factor, which is m, in this case.
2. Apply the distributive property by multiplying the common factor m to each term inside the parentheses.
- For the first term, 8.5m, we distribute m: 8.5m * 1 = 8.5m.
- For the second term, 1.3m, we distribute m: 1.3m * 1 = 1.3m.
3. Simplify the equation by adding the products obtained in the previous step.
- 8.5m + 1.3m = 8.5m + 1.3m = 9.8m.
So, using the distributive property, we have shown that the equation 8.5m + 1.3m = 9.8m is true.
You might wonder why we can't simply add the first two terms. The reason is that the distributive property is a fundamental rule of multiplying terms together. By applying the distributive property, we ensure that we are correctly distributing the common factor to each term inside the parentheses, leading to the correct result.