distributive property

An operation * is distributive if has the property in multiplication that x*(y + z) = x*y + x*z.

A multiplication * is said to be right distributive if (x + y) z = x z + y z for every x, y, and z. Similarly, it is said to be left distributive if z(x + y) = z x + z y for every x, y, and z. If a multiplication is both right- and left-distributive, it is simply said to be distributive. For example, the real numbers R are distributive.

associative | commutative | transitive

elementary school level (California grade 5 standard)