Commutative, Associative and

Distributive Laws
Commutative Laws
The "Commutative Laws" say we can swap numbers over and still
get the same answer ...
... when we add:

a+b = b+a
Example:

... or when we multiply:

ab = ba
Example:

Why "commutative" ... ?

Because the numbers can travel back and forth like a commuter.

Your turn!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What is the missing word? 6 + ___ =7 + 6

5+9=14, so 9+5= _____
What is the missing word? 3 x ___ = 9 x 3
5 x9 = 45, then 9 x 5 =______
Which one of the following illustrates the Commutative Law?

Tick at the space provided.

5+7=9+3
5 + 7 = 8+ 4

5+7=3+9
5 + 7 = 10 + 2
6. Which one of the following illustrates the Commutative Law?
Tick at the space provided.
3x4= 6x2
3x4=2x6
3 x 4 = 12 x 1
3x4=4x3

Associative Laws

Your turn!

The "Associative Laws" say that it doesn't matter how we group the
numbers (i.e. which we calculate first) ...
... when we add:

1. 7 + (4 + 2) = 13, so (7 + 4) + 2 =
2. What is the missing number?

4 + (____ + 5)

= (4 + 7) + 5
3. What is the missing number?

5 (____ 9) =

(a + b) + c = a + (b + c)

(5 8) 9
4. 5 (2 9) is also equal to:
________________________________
5. Which one of the following illustrates the Associative Law

... or when we multiply:

(a b) c = a (b c)

of addition?
3 + (2 + 4) = (4 + 4) + 1

3 + (2 + 4) =

(3 + 2) + 4
3 + (2 + 4) = (5 + 2) + 2

3 + (2 + 4) =

(2 + 6) + 1
6. Which of the following illustrates the Associative Law of
multiplication?

Examples:

4 (3 6) = (6 6) 2

This:

(2 + 4) + 5 = 6 + 5 = 11

4 (3 6) = (3 12) 2

Has the same answer as this:

2 + (4 + 5) = 2 + 9 = 11

4 (3 6) = (4 3) 6

This:

(3 4) 5 = 12 5 = 60

Has the same answer as this:

3 (4 5) = 3 20 = 60

Uses:
Sometimes it is easier to add or multiply in a different order:

What is 19 + 36 + 4?
19 + 36 + 4 = 19 + (36 + 4) = 19 + 40 = 59
Or to rearrange a little:

What is 2 16 5?
2 16 5 = (2 5) 16 = 10 16 = 160

4 (3 6) = (3 8) 3
7. 9 + (3 + 4) = 16, so (9 + 3) + 4 =
8. What is the missing number?

2 + (____ +

4) = (2 + 6) + 4
9. What is the missing number? 2 + (__ + 4) = (2 + 6) + 4
10.8 (6 7) is also equal to:
86-7
8 - (6 - 7)
8 12
(8 6) x 7

Distributive Law

Your turn! Do this without using a calculator

The "Distributive Law" is the BEST one of all, but needs careful
attention.
This is what it lets us do:

1. Calculate 39 63 + 39 37
2. Calculate: 81 450 + 81 550
3. Calculate: 77 58 + 23 58
4. Calculate: 734 11 + 266 11

3 lots of (2+4) is the same as 3 lots of 2 plus 3 lots of 4

So, the 3 can be "distributed" across the 2+4, into 32 and 34
And we write it like this:

a (b + c) = a b + a c

Try the calculations yourself:

3 (2 + 4) = 3 6 = 18

32 + 34 = 6 + 12 = 18
Either way gets the same answer.
In English we can say:
We get the same answer when we:
multiply a number by a group of numbers added
together, or
do each multiply separately then add them

Uses:
Sometimes it is easier to break up a difficult multiplication:

Example: What is 6 204 ?

6 204 = 6200 + 64 = 1,200 + 24 = 1,224
Or to combine:

Example: What is 16 6 + 16 4?
16 6 + 16 4 = 16 (6+4) = 16 10 = 160
We can use it in subtraction too:

Example: 263 - 243

263 - 243 = (26 - 24) 3 = 2 3 = 6
We could use it for a long list of additions, too:

Example: 67 + 27 + 37 + 57 + 47
67 + 27 + 37 + 57 + 47 = (6+2+3+5+4) 7 = 20 7
= 140

5. Calculate: 50 161 50 81
6. Calculate: 827 60 327 60
7. Jean's friend, Rose, told her that she thought Jean's
answer was wrong, and the correct answer should be 4.44
Which line of Jean's working was wrong?

And those are the Laws . . .

. . . but don't go too far!
The Commutative Law does not work for subtraction or division:

Example:

12 / 3 = 4, but
3 / 12 =
The Associative Law does not work for subtraction or division:

Example:

(9 4) 3 = 5 3 = 2, but
9 (4 3) = 9 1 = 8
The Distributive Law does not work for division:

Example:

Summary

24 / (4 + 8) = 24 / 12 = 2, but
24 / 4 + 24 / 8 = 6 + 3 = 9

Commutative
Laws:

a+b = b+a
ab = ba

Associative Laws:

(a + b) + c = a + (b + c)
(a b) c = a (b c)

Distributive Law:

a (b + c) = a b + a c