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Glite Dictionary
➗ Operation property 🗣️ Separate actions
distributivity

distributivity

1 9.8
A rule that lets one operation go over another like multiplication over addition
  • noun
  • /ˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːtɪvɪti/
  • Specialized
: distributividad
  • In mathematics, distributivity explains why a(b + c) equals ab + ac.

Examples

  • Understanding distributivity helps simplify expressions by breaking them into smaller, manageable parts.

  • Understanding distributivity helps students solve equations more efficiently.

  • The distributivity of multiplication over addition is a fundamental concept in algebra.

  • The distributivity of multiplication over addition is a fundamental property.

  • In algebra, distributivity simplifies complex expressions.

  • In mathematics, the distributivity property allows us to multiply a single term by each term inside a set of parentheses.

  • The rule of distributivity states that a number multiplied by a sum is equal to the sum of the products of that number and each addend.

Surface Forms

distributivity singular
distributivities plural

Morphology

distributivity = distributive (transparent) = distribute + ive + ity

Formed regularly from the adjective 'distributive' with the productive noun-forming suffix '-ity' meaning 'the property or state of being distributive'.

Etymology

Distributivity comes from Latin parts dis- 'apart' and tribuere 'to give', and it is the same root as the common word distribute. So in math, distributivity means one operation 'gives' itself to each part of another operation, which is why a times the sum of b and c equals a times b plus a times c.