document.write( "Question 241714: how does the associative property work? These explanations are not helping me. Please help
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "P.s does it work like this 1+(2+3)=(1+2)+3 \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #177012 by Edwin McCravy(20060) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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how does the associative property work? These explanations are not helping me. Please help
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document.write( "Yes it does.  With the left side,\r\n" );
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document.write( " 1 + (2 + 3) \r\n" );
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document.write( "the parentheses are around the 2 and the 3.\r\n" );
document.write( "That means you are ASSOCIATING the 2 and 3 together. \r\n" );
document.write( "Then you have\r\n" );
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document.write( "1 + 5\r\n" );
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document.write( "which gives 6. \r\n" );
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document.write( "Now with the right side,\r\n" );
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document.write( "(1 + 2) + 3\r\n" );
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document.write( "the parentheses are around the 1 and the 2.\r\n" );
document.write( "That means you are ASSOCIATING them together. \r\n" );
document.write( "Then you have\r\n" );
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document.write( "3 + 3\r\n" );
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document.write( "which also gives 6.\r\n" );
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document.write( "So the associative property says that if you have\r\n" );
document.write( "three numbers to add, it doesn't matter whether you\r\n" );
document.write( "associate the first two, and them, and then add the \r\n" );
document.write( "third number, or whether you associate the last two,\r\n" );
document.write( "add them, then add the first number to what you got,\r\n" );
document.write( "you will always get the same final answer.\r\n" );
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document.write( "That principle also works for multiplying three numbers\r\n" );
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document.write( "2 x (3 x 4) = 2 x 12 = 24\r\n" );
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document.write( "(2 x 3) x 4 = 6 x 4 = 24\r\n" );
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document.write( "So 2 x (3 x 4) = (2 x 3) x 4\r\n" );
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document.write( "But it DOES NOT work for subtraction \r\n" );
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document.write( "9 - (6 - 2) = 9 - 4 = 5\r\n" );
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document.write( "But\r\n" );
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document.write( "(9 - 6) - 2 = 3 - 2 = 1\r\n" );
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document.write( "So there is NO associative property for subtraction.\r\n" );
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document.write( "It also DOES NOT work for division.\r\n" );
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document.write( "So we say ADDITION and MULTIPLICATION both have the ASSOCIATIVE\r\n" );
document.write( "PROPERTY, but SUBTRACTION and DIVISION do not.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin

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