Commutative property of addition

Definition

The commutative property of addition states that changing the order of addends does not change the sum. Mathematically, if $a$ and $b$ are real numbers, then $a + b = b + a$.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. This property applies to all real numbers.
2. It is one of the fundamental properties of addition in algebra.
3. It simplifies the process of adding multiple numbers by allowing flexibility in their arrangement.
4. The property can be represented visually using number lines or sets.
5. It does not apply to subtraction; changing the order in subtraction changes the result.

Review Questions

Related terms

Associative Property of Addition: States that how numbers are grouped in addition does not change their sum. Mathematically, $(a + b) + c = a + (b + c)$.

Distributive Property:

$a(b + c) = ab + ac$, showing how multiplication distributes over addition.

Identity Property of Addition: $a + 0 = a$, indicating that adding zero to any number does not change its value.