The hint suggests breaking the expression $8 \times 6$ into two parts by splitting the number 8.

We can express $8$ as the sum of two smaller numbers, such as $5 + 3$. This allows us to break the product $8 \times 6$ into two simpler multiplications:

$8 \times 6 = (5 \times 6) + (3 \times 6)$

Now let's solve it step by step:

$5 \times 6 = 30$ $3 \times 6 = 18$

Adding them together:

$30 + 18 = 48$

So, $8 \times 6 = 48$.

The completed equation looks like this:

$8 \times 6 = (5 \times 6) + (3 \times 6)$ $= 30 + 18 = 48$

Would you like any more details or explanations?

Here are 5 related questions for further exploration:

1. How can you split $7 \times 5$ into two expressions?
2. Can you split $9 \times 4$ using a similar approach?
3. What happens when you break down other products like $12 \times 7$?
4. How can the distributive property be used to simplify more complex multiplications?
5. How would you apply this strategy to a product involving larger numbers like $15 \times 8$?

Tip: Breaking down numbers using the distributive property is a helpful way to simplify multiplication tasks, especially with larger numbers.