Which statement demonstrates the associative property?

Which statement demonstrates the associative property?

• A. 7+4=11
• B. (2 + 3) × 4 = 2 + (3 × 4)
• C. (7 + 4) + 8 = 7 + (4 + 8)
• D. 6 ÷ (3 ÷ 2) = (6 ÷ 3) ÷ 2

Answer: (C)

The associative property means you can regroup numbers when you add or multiply and still get the same total. For three numbers being added, (7 + 4) + 8 equals 7 + (4 + 8); both groupings give the same result, 19, so this shows the property in action for addition. Other options don’t demonstrate regrouping of several addends in a way that preserves the result. A statement like 7 + 4 = 11 is just a fact about two numbers, not about changing how they’re grouped. A mix of addition and multiplication that isn’t about regrouping the same numbers isn’t illustrating associativity, and a division expression shows that division isn’t associative because re-grouping changes the result (for example, 6 ÷ (3 ÷ 2) differs from (6 ÷ 3) ÷ 2).

The associative property means you can regroup numbers when you add or multiply and still get the same total. For three numbers being added, (7 + 4) + 8 equals 7 + (4 + 8); both groupings give the same result, 19, so this shows the property in action for addition.

Other options don’t demonstrate regrouping of several addends in a way that preserves the result. A statement like 7 + 4 = 11 is just a fact about two numbers, not about changing how they’re grouped. A mix of addition and multiplication that isn’t about regrouping the same numbers isn’t illustrating associativity, and a division expression shows that division isn’t associative because re-grouping changes the result (for example, 6 ÷ (3 ÷ 2) differs from (6 ÷ 3) ÷ 2).