Question

Use the distributive property to evaluate the expression.

$(21-11-3) 4$

Short answer

$(21 - 11 - 3 ) 4 = 28$.

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. 

Distributive Property of Multiplication

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

$\begin{array}{l}(21-11-3)4=21·4-11·4-3·4=84-44-12=28\\ \\ (21-11-3)4=28\end{array}$