Question

Consider the expression 63 + 81.

How can you use the distributive property and the GCF to find an equivalent expression? Explain how you can check your answer.

Answer 1

The GCF of 63 and 81 is 9, so you can use that as the factor outside of the parentheses. Divide both numbers by 9 and write the sum as 9(7 + 9). You can check that the sum 63 + 81 is the same as the product 9(7 +9).