How do you multiply using the distributive property $5(31)$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2018-08-06T06:12:27

$5(31) = 155$

Multiplication is both left-distributive and right-distributive over addition.

That is, for any $a$ , $b$ and $c$ we have:

$a(b+c) = ab+ac" "$ left distributive

$(a+b)c = ac+bc" "$ right distributive

We can use left distributivity to make the example product easier to calculate, finding:

$5(31) = 5(30+1) = 5(30)+5(1) = 150+5 = 155$

How do you multiply using the distributive property 5(31)5(31)?