Name _____________________ Date _________________________
Multiplication Equations as a Comparison - Step-by-Step Lesson
2 (3 x 5) = 5 (3 x 2)
Which property of multiplication is displayed in the problem above?
a) Associative c) Commutative
b) Distributive d) Multiplicative Identity
Explanation:
A quick recap on what you should have already learned in class:
Commutative property of multiplication – When you multiply two
numbers together, the final value is the same in spite of the order the
numbers are in. For example:
axb=bxa
Associative property of multiplication – If you are multiplying three numbers or more, the final value
is the same. The order in which you multiply them does not matter at all. For example:
(a x b) x c = a x (b x c)
Distributive property of multiplication – When you multiply a number by two numbers that are being
added, the final value is equal to the sum that number times each number individually.
Multiplication distributes over addition.
For example: a x (b + c) = a x b + a x c
Identity and Zero property of multiplication – When you multiply a number by 1, the product is that
number. When you multiply a number by zero, the product is 0.
Identity property: ax1=a
Zero Property: ax0=0
By observing all properties carefully we can conclude that:
This is the associative property of multiplication. We can tell this because the factors are just
redistributed, by the values are equal.
So, the answer is “a)”.
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