Question

How do you solve `4(2r+8)=88` using the distributive property?

Answer 1

Distribute `4(2r+8)=88` to `8r+32=88` and solve.

Explanation:

Let's look at what the distributive property says first.

`a(b+c) = ab+ac`
It says we can distribute a coefficient outside parenthesis amongst the terms inside.

We see the same pattern with this equation,
`4(2r+8) = 88`
where `4` is the outside coefficient, and `2r` and `8` are the inside terms.

Therefore, we can distribute that equation as,
`4(2r+8) = 8r + 32 =88`

We can then subtract 32 from both sides,
`8r = 56`
then divide 8 from both sides to reach,
`r = 7`
which is our answer. `square`