There are four properties involving multiplication that will help make problems
easier to solve. They are the commutative, associative, multiplicative identity
and distributive properties.
Commutative property: When two numbers are multiplied together, the product
is the same regardless of the order of the multiplicands. For example 4 * 2 = 2 * 4
Associative Property: When three or more numbers are multiplied, the
product is the same regardless of the order of multiplication. For example
(2 * 3) * 4 = 2 * (3 * 4)
Multiplicative Identity Property: The product of any number and one is
that number. For example 5 * 1 = 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