The distributive property says A·(B + C) = A·B + A·C But it also says the reverse A·B + A·C = A·(B + C) Write 13 as 13·1 using the identity property of multiplication and write 13x as 13·x. 13·1 + 13·x = 13·(1 + x) That is A·B + A·C = A·(B + C) ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ 13·1 + 13·x = 13·(1 + x) with 13 substituted for A, 1 substituted for B and x substituted for x. Edwin