In our example above, the 4 was first originally, and then it was switched to second. In the commutative property you do change the order of the numbers. By 'grouping' we simply mean where the parentheses are placed. The associative property indicates that the grouping of numbers does not matter. Aim to learn the general form, but use the numeric form as your 'training wheels.' We know properties can be confusing when too many variables are use, so we also give an example with numbers on the right side of the table as well. On the left side of the table we show the general form – using all letters.
You should also be sure to understand the order of operations before attempting to understand these math properties.Įach property is listed below. Vist our pages dedicated to the math property of equality or math clue words. In this page you will learn the following properties: For example, the commutative property basically states you can add in any order: 6 + 5 is the same as 5 + 6. You probably don't even realize that you already know many of these properties. The following math properties are formally introduced in algebra classes, but they are taught in many elementary schools.
