Commutative Property of Multiplication: Formula & Examples

The commutative property of multiplication states that the order of multiplication does not affect the product. For example, 2 * 3 = 3 * 2 and 5 * 4 = 4 * 5. This property is often used when solving equations, as it makes the equation easier to solve.

For instance, if a person is given the equation 6x + 4 = 12, they can solve for x by multiplying both sides of the equation by 2, since the commutative property holds true for multiplication. This would result in 12x + 8 = 24, which can then be easily solved to find that x equals 4.

What is the commutative property?

The commutative property is a mathematical property that states that the order of two numbers does not affect the result of an operation performed on them.

For example, addition and subtraction are commutative operations because the order of the numbers does not affect the result: 5 + 3 = 3 + 5 and 10 – 6 = 6 – 10. Multiplication and division are also commutative operations, but only when the multiplier and divisor are both positive integers.

Commutative Property Formula

The commutative property of addition states that the order of the numbers being added does not affect the sum. For example, 5 + 3 = 3 + 5. The commutative property of multiplication states that the order of the numbers being multiplied does not affect the product. For example, 3 x 5 = 5 x 3.

The commutative property is one of the basic properties of arithmetic and is often used in proofs. The commutative property can be represented by the following formula: a + b = b + a and ab = ba.

Commutative Property of Addition

Adding numbers is a pretty straightforward process. You add the numbers one after the other, and the answer is the sum of those numbers. But what happens when you add two negative numbers together? Do you get a negative number as the answer?

The commutative property of addition states that the order of addition doesn’t matter. So, if you add two negative numbers together, you still get a negative number as the answer. This is because, mathematically speaking, subtraction is just addition in reverse.

In other words, 5 + 3 is the same as 3 + 5. This property is one of the most basic and fundamental properties of addition. It allows for addition to be performed in any order, which makes it a very useful mathematical operation.

Commutative Property of Multiplication

The Commutative Property of Multiplication states that the order of the factors in a multiplication equation does not affect the value of the equation. For example, 5*4=20 and 4*5=20, both equations result in the value 20. This property is one of the most fundamental properties of multiplication and is used when solving equations.

Why We Use Commutative Property of Multiplication?

  • The commutative property of multiplication states that the order of multiplying two numbers does not affect the result. For example, 4 multiplied by 3 is the same as 3 multiplied by 4. This property is very useful when working with multi-digit numbers, because it makes it easier to rearrange the digits without affecting the answer.
  • Another benefit of using the commutative property is that it helps us to avoid errors. For instance, if we mistakenly multiply 2 and 3 in reverse order, we would get 6 instead of 9. By using the commutative property, we can avoid making these kinds of mistakes.
  • Finally, using the commutative property makes calculations more efficient. This is especially helpful when doing complex equations or working with large numbers.

Commutative Property vs Associative Property

Are you struggling to understand the difference between the commutative and associative properties of addition? You’re not alone. Even many adults have difficulty understanding the difference. But don’t worry, by the end of this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of both properties.

Commutative Property

First, let’s start with the commutative property. The commutative property states that when two numbers are added together, the order in which the numbers are written doesn’t matter. For example, 3 + 5 = 5 + 3 and 2 + 4 = 4 + 2.

Associative Property

Now let’s look at the associative property. The associative property states that when three numbers are added together, the order in which the numbers are written doesn’t matter. For example, (3 + 5) + 7 = 3 + (5 + 7).

FAQs

Q: Can Commutative Property be Used for Subtraction and Division?
A: The commutative property of addition states that the order of the numbers being added does not affect the sum. For example, 4 + 3 = 3 + 4. The same is true for subtraction and division. That is, the order of the numbers being subtracted or divided does not affect the result. For example, 8 ÷ 4 = 4 ÷ 8. This can be helpful when solving equations, especially when dealing with negative numbers.

Q: What is the Difference Between Commutative Property and Distributive Property?
A: The commutative property states that the order of operations within an equation does not affect the outcome, while the distributive property dictates that multiplication should be performed before addition. For example, 3 + 4 x 5 = 3 + 20 = 23, whereas 4 x 5 + 3 = 20 + 3 = 23.

Q: Can Commutative Property have 3 Numbers?
A: The Commutative Property of Addition states that the order of numbers being added together does not affect the sum. For example, 5 + 3 = 8 no matter which orders the numbers are in. The property can be applied to more than two numbers by combining them into groups.

Some people think that the Commutative Property can also be applied to multiplication, but this is not always true. For example, 2 x 4 = 8, but 4 x 2 = 8 only if the 4 is multiplied by 2 first and then added to the 2. If 4 is multiplied by 2 seconds, the result would be 16. This is because grouping the numbers differently changes their order in multiplication.

It has been said that the Commutative Property can also be applied to division, but this is also not always true.