Basic Details
Word: Distributive
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: To do with sharing something out among many; in maths, the distributive property lets you multiply across the terms inside brackets.
How to Spell Distributive
Syllables: dis - trib - u - tive
Tricky part: The vowel after b is u, not i or a, and only one t comes before ive. Distribitive and distributave are the usual slips.
Watch out for: distribitive, distributave, distrubutive, distributtive
Memory tip: Start from distribute, which ends in ute. Drop the final e and add ive: distribut + ive. The u from ute stays put.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Our maths teacher drew rows of boxes on the board to show how the distributive property works.
Example 2: Ravi explained the distributive rule to his little sister using bags of laddoos.
Example 3: Rationing in wartime was a distributive scheme meant to give every family the same basic food.
Fun Fact
In maths, the distributive property says 3 x (4 + 5) is the same as 3 x 4 + 3 x 5. Work out both and you get 27.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Find the correctly spelt word in the list and choose its meaning.
1. equasion 2. distributive 3. aritmetic 4. multiplikation
a) repeated addition of the same number
b) the study of numbers and calculating with them
c) a statement that two expressions are equal
d) to do with sharing out among many
Show answer
d) to do with sharing out among many. Multiplication needs a c, arithmetic an h after the t and equation a t, so distributive is the only word without a slip.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
distributtive
a) r
b) u
c) t
d) b
Show answer
c) t. Only one t follows the u: distribu-tive.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
The cooperative uses a vtudsibiirte system so that every farmer gets a fair share of the profit.
a) destructive
b) distribution
c) distributive
d) attributive
Show answer
c) distributive. Look for the v and the e, with no o or n: that rules out distribution and leaves distributive; attributive and destructive need other letters.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Help given on a distributive basis is ____.
a) thrown away
b) hidden
c) shared out among many
d) kept by one person
Show answer
c) shared out among many
2. Which pronoun is called distributive because it points to members of a group one at a time?
a) they
b) ours
c) each
d) whom
Show answer
c) each
