Commutative and

Associative Properties
 Commutative and Associative Properties

• Properties refer to rules that indicate a standard

procedure or method to be followed.
• A proof is a demonstration of the truth of a
statement in mathematics.
• Properties or rules in mathematics are the result
from testing the truth or validity of something by
experiment or trial to establish a proof.
• Therefore, every mathematical problem from the
easiest to the more complex can be solved by
following step by step procedures that are
identified as mathematical properties.
 Commutative and Associative Properties

• Commutative Property means changing the order

in which you add or subtract numbers does not
change the sum or product.
• Associative Property means changing the
grouping of numbers when adding or multiplying
does not change their sum or product.
• Grouping symbols are typically parentheses (),but
can include brackets [] or Braces {}.
 Commutative Properties

Commutative
CommutativeProperty
Property
of For
Forany
anynumbers
numbersaaand
andbb, ,aa++bb==bb++a.a.
ofaddition
addition--(Order)
(Order)

45
45++55==55++45
45
50
50==50
50

Commutative
CommutativeProperty
Property
of
For
Forany
anynumbers andbb, ,aabb==bba.a.
numbersaaand
ofmultiplication
multiplication--
(order)
(order)
6688==8866

48
48==48
48
 Associative Properties
Associative
AssociativeProperty
Propertyof For
of Forany
anynumbers
numbersa,a,b,b,and
andc,c,
addition
addition--(grouping
(grouping
symbols) (a
(a++b)
b)++cc==aa++(b
(b++c).
c).
symbols)
(2
(2++4)
4)++55==22++(4
(4++5)
5)
(6)
(6)++55 == 22++(9)
(9)
11
11==11
11

Associative
AssociativeProperty
Propertyof For
of Forany
anynumbers
numbersa,a,b,b,and
andc,c,
multiplication
multiplication--
(grouping (ab)
(ab)cc==aa(bc).
(bc).
(groupingsymbols)
symbols)
(23)
(2 3)55==22(3
(35)
5)

(6)55 == 22(15)
(6) (15)

30
30 == 30
30
 Commutative and Associative Properties

• Commutative and Associative properties are very helpful

to solve problems using mental math strategies.

Rewrite
Rewritethe
theproblem
problemby
bygrouping
groupingnumbers
numbersthat
thatcan
canbe
beformed
formedeasily.
easily.
(Associative
(Associativeproperty)
property) This
Thisprocess
processmay
maychange
changethe
theorder
orderin
inwhich
whichthe
the
original
originalproblem
problemwas
wasintroduced.
introduced.(Commutative
(Commutativeproperty)
property)

Evaluate:
Evaluate:18
18++13
13++16
16++27
27++22
22++24
24

(18
(18++22)
22)++(16
(16++24)
24)++(13
(13++27)
27)

(40)
(40)++(40)
(40)++(40)
(40)==120
120
 Commutative and Associative Properties

• Commutative and Associative properties are very helpful

to solve problems using mental math strategies.

Rewrite
Rewritethe
theproblem
problembybychanging
changingthe
theorder
orderin
inwhich
whichthe
theoriginal
original
problem
problemwas
wasintroduced.
introduced.(Commutative
(Commutativeproperty)
property) Group
Groupnumbers
numbersthat
that
can
canbe
beformed
formedeasily.
easily.(Associative
(Associativeproperty)
property)

Evaluate:447725
Evaluate: 25
4425
2577

(425)
(4 25)77

(100)77==700
(100) 700