### Home > MC1 > Chapter 3 > Lesson 3.2.3 > Problem3-52

3-52.

Julian was calculating the area of a rectangular garden that was $7$ feet wide and $23$ feet long. He wrote down the product $7·23$, when he remembered that he could use the Distributive Property to make this calculation easier. He rewrote his product as $7(20+3)=7(20)+7(3)$.

1. Finish Julian's calculation. Did the Distributive Property make his calculation easier? Why or why not?

Remember your multiplication rules and the order of operations! Terms are separated by addition symbols ($+$) and you should simplify those terms first, before adding.

$140+21=161$. The area of the garden is $161$ squared feet. Do you think the Distributive Property made this problem easier to solve?

2. Now use the Distributive Property to calculate each of the following products.

1.  $4(63)$

1.  $11(71)$

Having trouble using the Distributive Property? This property states that when we multiply a sum by a number, we need to multiply each part of the sum by that number. Remember, it often useful to separate the number by place value.

In part (i), we can separate the sum ($63$) by place value (tens and ones). For example, $4(63)=4(60+3)$. Now fill in the expression:
$4(60)\ +$ ?