There are four properties involving addition that will help make problems easier to
solve. They are the commutative, associative, additive identity
and distributive properties.
Commutative property: When two numbers are added, the sum is the same
regardless of the order of the addends. For example 4 + 2 = 2 + 4
Associative Property: When three or more numbers are added, the sum is the
same regardless of the order of addition. For example (2 + 3) + 4 = 2 + (3 + 4)
Additive Identity Property: The sum of any number and zero is the original
number. For example 5 + 0 = 5.
Distributive property: The sum of two numbers times a third number is
equal to the sum of each addend times the third number. For example 4 * (6 + 3) = 4*6 + 4*3