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Editor’s collection of notes:
Pre-Algebra
Property, Commutative: Addition, Multiplication
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a + b = b + a
a * b = b * a; order of operations not necessary for addition and multiplication
(root idea of "commutative": "change" or exchange) terms can be freely substituted, exchanged, mixed about, without effect on result. What a strange world it would be if you could have more or less than 25 cents based on how you grouped them!
2/3*4/7*3/5 - don't view this as 3 sep fractions to be multiplied, but as one fraction that can be reduced; since the num & denom will be mult together, the order doesn't matter; look for the one to cancel; factor into primes, top and bottom
for add. or mult. problems, you will get same answer no matter how the terms are mixed, presented, but this is not true for subtraction and division
commutative property mixes, in any order; this is why, in an equation, we want to remove subtraction and change to addition, bec then the order won't matter
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