Question

Evaluate the expression using the distributive property and mental math.

$3 \left(96\right)$

Short answer

$3\left(96\right)=288$.

Step-by-step solution

Step-1 – What are real numbers? 

Real numbers are simply the combination of Whole numbers, Integers, Rational and Irrational numbers in the number system.

Step-2 – Distributive Property of Multiplication 

Suppose a, b, and c is three real numbers.

Distributive Property of Multiplication

Property: $\text{a} \text{(b} \text{+} \text{c} \text{)} = \text{a} · \text{b} + \text{a} · \text{c}$

Example: $\text{12} \text{(3} \text{+} \text{4} \text{)} = \text{12} · \text{3} + \text{12} · \text{4} = 36 + 48 = 84$

Step-3:  Evaluate the expression using the distributive property and mental math.        

We can write 96 as 90+ 6, to evaluate the expression 3(96), we can use the distributive method of multiplication.

Distributive Property of Multiplication

Property: $\text{a} \text{(b} \text{+} \text{c} \text{)} = \text{a} · \text{b} + \text{a} · \text{c}$

$\begin{array}{l}3\left(96\right)=3(90+6)=3·90+3·6=270+18=288\\ 3\left(96\right)=288\end{array}$