Skill: distributive-property
Tutor Help: Distributive Property
Stuck distributing? Recap the rule, try the self-help fixes, or preview a tutor request.
The distributive property a(b + c) = ab + ac means the outside factor multiplies every inside term — signs included. The #1 error is stopping after the first term.
Like terms share the variable AND the exponent. Combine them; leave everything else alone. 3x + 4 can never become 7x.
The full pipeline is distribute → combine. Verify with a test value (x = 2): both the original and your simplified form must agree.
How to get unstuck in 5 minutes
- 1Re-read the lesson section that matches your problem.
- 2Work one practice problem with the hint turned on.
- 3Check your answer with the step-by-step tool.
- 4Still stuck? Use the demo request form below.
1 Quick self-help
Three fixes that solve most stuck moments.
Only distributed to the first term?
Count the terms inside before you start, then count your products after. The counts must match — every house gets a package.
Signs going wrong?
Attach each sign to its term first: −2(x − 3) has terms +x and −3. Then multiply: −2·x and −2·(−3) = +6.
Simplification not matching?
Plug in x = 2 on both sides. If they disagree, your error is in the step where they diverge — check distribution first.
2 Common questions
Short answers to the questions tutors hear most.
Because the 3 must multiply the 4 too: 3·4 = 12. The property is a(b + c) = ab + ac — both products, always.
No. Like terms need the same exponent: x¹ and x² are different species. Only the coefficients of matching terms combine.
Distribute −1: −x − 5. A lonely leading minus flips every sign inside.
3 Ask a tutor
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