From the course: Learning Algebra: Pre-Algebra

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Distributing a positive number

Distributing a positive number

From the course: Learning Algebra: Pre-Algebra

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Distributing a positive number

- In this lesson, you will use the distributive property to simplify expressions. We are going to focus on distributing a positive number. Our first example is to simplify 2 times the quantity y plus 5. Notice that if we were to use the order of operations, we would need to start by adding y plus 5, however in this problem, we don't know what y is equal to, therefore, we can't add y plus 5. So, since we can't add y plus 5, and we need to simply this expression, we're going to need to use the distributive property. I want you to take just a minute and think about what that word "distribute" means. What does it means to distribute? Do you think of giving something out? Let's say you just baked this delicious plate of cookies and you're out with your friends, would you give just one of your friends one of those cookies? Or would you distribute those cookies to all of your friends? Hopefully, you said that you will distribute them to all of your friends. Unless you're like me and I would…

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