Distribution

You are here: Learn and Practice --> Lessons --> Distribution

Distribution is really useful in algebra, especially when you have a variable you need to calculate. It might be hard to leave 8(//x// + 6) in un-simplified form, and figure out what //x// equals, so distribution is used to simplify such expressions.

To illustrate how this works, let's just use numbers, for now.

5(4+2) = 5*4 + 5*2 = 20 + 10, which equals 30. And as you can see, 4 + 2 = 6, and 5 * 6 equals 30, too.

Let's try a different example: - 6(7 - 4)

There's a negative sign before the six! You have to remember the negative, or your calculation will be wrong.

- 6(7 - 4) = -6*7 - (-6*4) = -42 + 24, which equals - 18. Also, -6 * 3 = -18.

Bigger example: 4x + 8(3 - 4x)

How to simplify this? 4x + 8(3) - 8*4x = -28x + 24

Okay, now your turn!

**Practice:** 1. Find //x// when 4//x// - 3(2//x// - 1) = -1 2. Find //s// when 2(-2 + 4//s//) = 4(//s// + 4)

**Answers:** 1. 2 2. 5