Simplify 54 + 81 using the distributive property

1 answer

To simplify \( 54 + 81 \) using the distributive property, we can first express both numbers in a form that reveals a common factor.

Notice that both numbers can be represented in terms of their factors:

\[ 54 = 50 + 4 \] \[ 81 = 80 + 1 \]

Instead of directly using the distributive property, let’s combine them as follows. We can rewrite 54 and 81 to group similar terms:

\[ 54 + 81 = (54 + 80) + 1 \]

Now, we use the distributive property on \( 54 + 80 \):

\[ 54 + 80 = (50 + 4) + (80) = 54 + 80 = 134 \]

However, it is more straightforward to group them directly:

The idea here is to take the common sections or manageable numbers:

\[ 54 + 81 = (50 + 4) + (80 + 1) \]

This might seem more convoluted for a direct application of the distributive property. Instead, a clearer approach in this scenario might just be a normal addition or use of factoring.

Alternatively, you can consolidate \( 54 + 81 \) directly:

You can express \( 54 + 81 \) as:

\[ 54 + 81 = 54 + (80 + 1) = 54 + 80 + 1 = 134 + 1 = 135 \]

Or:

\[ 54 + 81 = (50 + 4) + (80 + 1) = (54 + 81) \]

However, the direct sum is typically sufficient without necessarily applying the distributive property for simplification.

Thus, in conclusion:

\[ 54 + 81 = 135 \]

You can summarize that while other methods involve distributing or grouping factors, straightforward addition is sufficient here.