FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

What does the associative property allow you to do?

1. Multiply numbers in any order

2. Add numbers in any order

3. Regroup terms as you like

4. Alter the individual terms being added

The correct answer is: Regroup terms as you like

The associative property is a fundamental concept in mathematics that allows you to regroup the terms within an expression without affecting the overall outcome. Specifically, it applies to both addition and multiplication operations. For example, when adding three numbers, such as (a + b) + c can be regrouped to a + (b + c), and the result remains the same. This property emphasizes the flexibility of how numbers can be combined, focusing on how the grouping of the terms can be rearranged freely. While the associative property does apply to addition and multiplication, returning to the nature of the question, its main implication is centered on the regrouping of terms rather than on altering or changing the terms themselves. The focus here is on how the arrangement of numbers aids in simplifying calculations or understanding mathematical operations without changing the result. The other options pertain either to changing the order of operations or to modifying the numbers themselves, which do not accurately capture the essence of the associative property.