Finding the Area of a Rectangle Using the Distributive Property

This lesson teaches how to find the area of a rectangle using the distributive property. It begins with decomposing numbers to simplify calculations, followed by understanding the multiplication of rows and columns. The lesson then applies the distributive property to find the area and demonstrates solving the problem using different methods. The key takeaway is that different approaches can yield the same result, emphasizing the equivalence of various number sentences.

What is the first step in simplifying the problem of finding the area of a rectangle using the distributive property?

• Multiply the length by the width directly

• Add the length and width

• Divide the rectangle into four equal parts

• Decompose the numbers into smaller parts

When using the distributive property, what should you multiply to find the area of a section of the rectangle?

• The length and the width

• The rows and the columns

• The perimeter and the area

• The diagonal and the side

Why is it important not to multiply the five times the three in the given example?

• Because they are not the correct numbers to multiply

• Because they are not part of the same section

• Because they are already multiplied in another step

• Because they represent different parts of the rectangle

How do you find the total area of the rectangle after using the distributive property?

• By dividing the total length by the total width

• By subtracting the smaller area from the larger area

• By adding the areas of the separated parts

• By multiplying all the side measurements together

What does the final step of the lesson emphasize about the number sentences used?

• They must all be different

• They must all be complex

• They must all be equivalent

• They must all be simplified