Area using the Distributive Property

The Distributive Property states that a(b + c) = ab + ac. It allows you to multiply a number by a sum by distributing the multiplication to each addend.

To find the area of a rectangle, multiply its length by its width. Area = length x width.

An area model visually represents multiplication and helps to understand how to break down numbers into smaller parts.

The total area is 3 x 4 = 12 square units.

Add the areas of the two smaller rectangles together.

The equation is 5 x 3 = 15 square units.

It equals a x c + b x c.

The length is 20 ÷ 4 = 5 units.

The area is 6 x 2 = 12 square units.

You can express it as length x (width1 + width2) = (length x width1) + (length x width2).