Distributive property examples (with words)

Distributive Property

Examples

Look at the following pair of words.

Firefly + Firetruck

What do they have in common?

Firefly + Firetruck

What do they have in common?

FIRE

So, if you pull out the common part fire

what is left?

Fly + Truck

Written using the distributive property…

Fire (fly + truck)

Written using the distributive property…

Fire (fly + truck)

1. Look at the following pair of words.

Racecar + Racetrack

What do they have in common?Write it using the distributive property

_______ ( ______ + _______)

2. Look at the following pair of words.

Doghouse + Dogbone

What do they have in common?Write it using the distributive property

_______ ( ______ + _______)

3. Look at the following pair of words.

Icecream + Icecube

What do they have in common?Write it using the distributive property

_______ ( ______ + _______)

4. Look at the following pair of words.

Lunchroom + Lunchmoney

What do they have in common?Write it using the distributive property

_______ ( ______ + _______)

5. Look at the following pair of words.

Toothbrush + Toothpaste

What do they have in common?Write it using the distributive property

_______ ( ______ + _______)

6. Look at the following pair of words.

Earring + Earwax

What do they have in common?Write it using the distributive property

_______ ( ______ + _______)

Gross!

Your turn!

With your elbow partner, come up with another example of the

distributive property using words!

Now, let’s try it with a few numbers…

20 + 30

What do they have in common?

20 + 30

What do they have in common?

2, 5, 10

What is the largest factor in common?

20 + 30

Since 10 is the largest in common, 10 would be “pulled out” to distribute (just

like we did with common words).

10 ( __ + __ )

20 + 30

Think:10 x __ = 20 and 10 x __ = 30

10 ( __ + __ )

20 + 30

10 ( 2 + 3 )

18 + 24

___ ( __ + __ )

16 + 30

___ ( __ + __ )

18 + 36

___ ( __ + __ )

27 + 63

___ ( __ + __ )

15 + 40

___ ( __ + __ )

Distribution TimeWorksheet

= +

= +Answer

4(2 + 3) = 4 (2) + 4 (3)

= +

= +3(4 + 5) = 3 (4) + 3 (5)

Answer

= +

= +6(2 + 4) = 6 (2) + 6 (4)

Answer

= +

= +2(5 + 2) = 2(5) + 2(2)

Answer