The multiplication property of equality states that if you multiply both sides of an equation by the same non-zero number, the two sides remain equal. This property can be applied to any equation where you need to isolate a variable by removing a coefficient through multiplication.
For example, consider the equation:
- 1. 2x = 10: Here, you can use the multiplication property by multiplying both sides by 1/2 to isolate x.
- 2. x/3 = 4: In this case, you can multiply both sides by 3 to eliminate the fraction.
- 3. 5x – 2 = 8: Although this equation is not directly solvable by multiplication alone, it can be transformed into a form where you might then use multiplication after further isolating x.
Thus, the multiplication property of equality is useful in cases where you’re either starting with a variable that has a coefficient or need to eliminate fractions or constants through multiplication. Always remember to apply the same operation to both sides of the equation to keep it balanced!