The distributive property is an important idea in math that kids in Year 1 can understand through simple, everyday examples.

This property says that for any numbers (a), (b), and (c), we can use this rule:

[ a \times (b + c) = a \times b + a \times c ]

Let’s look at some easy examples from daily life!

Everyday Examples:

1. Sharing Candy:

   Imagine a kid has 3 bags of candy. Each bag has 2 candies, and there are also 4 extra candies. To find the total number of candies, you can do it in two ways:

   • First, find how many candies are in the bags: [ 3 \times 2 = 6 ]
   • Then, add the extra candies: [ 6 + 4 = 10 ]

   You could also think of it like this:

   [ 3 \times (2 + \frac{4}{3}) = 3 \times 2 + 3 \times \frac{4}{3} = 6 + 4 = 10 ]

2. Buying Apples:

   Let’s say 5 apples cost $2 each and 3 bananas cost$1 each. We can use the distributive property here too:

   [ 5 \times (2 + 1) = 5 \times 2 + 5 \times 1 = 10 + 5 = 15 ]

Visual Representation:

Using blocks to show (a \times (b + c)) can help kids see how to break things into smaller parts. This helps them understand better and makes it more fun!

By connecting the distributive property to things they do every day, kids can really see how useful this idea is in math.