Simplify the Expression (ab)(cd): Applying the Distributive Property

It is possible to use the distributive property to simplify the expression below?

What is its simplified form?

$(ab)(c d)$

Let's remember the extended distributive property:

$(\textcolor{red}{a}+\textcolor{blue}{b})(c+d)=\textcolor{red}{a}c+\textcolor{red}{a}d+\textcolor{blue}{b}c+\textcolor{blue}{b}d$Note that the operation between the terms inside the parentheses is a multiplication operation:

$(a b)(c d)$Unlike in the extended distributive property previously mentioned, which is addition (or subtraction, which is actually the addition of the term with a minus sign),

Also, we notice that since there is a multiplication among all the terms, both inside the parentheses and between the parentheses, this is a simple multiplication and the parentheses are actually not necessary and can be remoed. We get:

$(a b)(c d)= \\ abcd$Therefore, opening the parentheses in the given expression using the extended distributive property is incorrect and produces an incorrect result.

Therefore, the correct answer is option d.