Algebra: Chapter 1, Lesson 5, page 24.
Distributive Property of Mutiplication over Addition
The distributive property of mulitplication over addition is written as `a(b+c)=ab+ac`. For example:
`3(x+2)=3x+6`
The opposite of distribution is factoring where we go backward. For example:
`3x+3y=3(x+y)`
In an expression like `6s+6t+6w`, the `6s`, `6t` and `6w` are called terms. Like terms are terms with like variables THAT HAVE THE SAME EXPONENT!
You can collect like terms, for example:
`6y^2+2y^2` is the same as `8y^2`
and `4×3+5×3` is the same as `9×3`
Try these 2 links from purplemath.com, this one for distribution and this one for factoring.