Why I Teach My Kids the Distributive Law in Math

As a homeschooling mom, I’m always on the lookout for ways to make math concepts easier for my kids to grasp. One topic that initially seemed tricky but turned out to be quite fun and approachable is the distributive law in math. If you’ve ever felt confused about how multiplication and addition work together, you’re 100% not alone.. Let me walk you through how I introduced this concept to my children and why it’s one of my favorite lessons.

What Is the Distributive Law?

When I first introduced the distributive law to my kids, I made sure to explain it in a way they could relate to. The distributive property, in simple terms, is a rule that connects multiplication and addition. It says that multiplying a number by a sum of two numbers is the same as multiplying the number by each individual part of the sum and then adding the results.

For example, the expression 5 x (2 + 3) is the same as 5 x 2 + 5 x 3. I showed my kids how both give us the same result, 25. This is super important to explain early on because it helped my kids see the relationship between multiplication and addition in a whole new way.

How I explained the distributive property to my kids

I knew that making the lesson hands-on would help my kids understand this concept better, so I started by using real-life examples to break things down. For instance, I explained that if we were making a snack, say 5 plates of cookies, and each plate had 2 cookies and 3 cookies, we could add the cookies first (2 + 3) and then multiply by the 5 plates. This was a concrete way for my kids to visualize the concept.

I also showed them how breaking down a problem like 5 x (2 + 3) into 5 x 2 + 5 x 3 made the math feel less overwhelming 😊 It helped them understand that the distributive property can simplify math problems, especially when they come across larger numbers in the future.

Why I use the distributive property in homeschooling

Teaching my kids this concept helped them break down more complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts. By using the distributive property, my kiddos gained a sense of control over their math homework, and it made future concepts like algebra feel more intuitive (yay!)

I remember when we were working on more difficult multiplication problems and I showed them how to apply the distributive property to simplify their calculations. They felt so empowered! Instead of getting stuck on a long string of numbers, they could break it into smaller chunks and work through it step by step.

Making math more fun with distributive property

One of the best things about teaching distributive property was seeing how much my kids enjoyed it once they understood the concept. In addition to using small snacks like cookies or fruit pieces to create problems they could physically manipulate, I also had them draw out the problems on paper so they could see how breaking the problem down made it easier..

Now, when my kids come across a multiplication problem, they instinctively look for ways to use the distributive property. It’s a tool they can rely on for solving problems and for truly understanding how multiplication and addition work together.

Why the distributive property matters :)

Looking back, I’m so glad I introduced my kids to the distributive property early on.. It’s one of those concepts that doesn’t just help with one specific problem but opens the door to understanding many more complex math concepts later. My kids are now confident in using the distributive property to tackle multiplication problems, and I can see how it has built a solid foundation for them in math.

If you’re homeschooling your kids and want to make math more manageable, teaching them this concept is an excellent (!) way to do it. By breaking down problems and making them more understandable, it gives kids the confidence they need to approach trick math problems. Trust me, once your kids understand this property, they’ll see math in a whole new way!