How do you use the distributive property in mathematics?

The distributive property is a fundamental concept in mathematics that allows you to multiply a single term by two or more terms inside a set of parentheses. It is commonly used in algebra, but it can also be applied to other branches of math such as arithmetic and calculus.

The distributive property states that for any three numbers a, b, and c, a multiplied by the sum of b and c is equal to the sum of two products, where a is multiplied by b and a is multiplied by c. This can be expressed as:

a x (b + c) = a x b + a x c

For example, if you have the expression 2(3x + 4), you can use the distributive property to simplify it as:

2(3x + 4) = (2 x 3x) + (2 x 4) = 6x + 8

The distributive property can also be used in reverse to factor expressions. For example, the expression 6x + 8 can be factored as:

6x + 8 = 2(3x + 4)