The property that allows the equation $a(b + c) = ab + ac$ to change the left-hand side to the right-hand side is the distributive property.

The distributive property states that multiplying a number by a sum is the same as multiplying the number by each addend individually and then adding the products.

Would you like more details or have any further questions?

Here are 5 related questions to expand your understanding:

1. Can you provide an example of the distributive property with specific numbers?
2. What is the difference between the distributive property and the associative property?
3. How is the distributive property used in solving algebraic equations?
4. Can the distributive property be applied to subtraction?
5. How does the distributive property relate to factoring?

Tip: The distributive property is particularly useful in simplifying algebraic expressions and solving equations, especially when dealing with parentheses.