The distributive property of multiplication is a very useful property that lets you simplify expressions in which you are multiplying a number by a sum or difference. The property states that the product of a sum or difference, such as 6(5 – 2), is equal to the sum or difference of the products – in this case, 6(5) – 6(2).
Remember that there are several ways to write multiplication. 3 x 6 = 3(6) = 3 • 6.
