Which statement describes the commutative property for multiplication?

Which statement describes the commutative property for multiplication?

• A. Order of factors can be swapped without changing the product.
• B. The product changes when order changes.
• C. Grouping can be changed without changing the product.
• D. Zero times any number is zero.

Answer: (A)

Multiplication is commutative when you can switch the order of the factors and still get the same product. In other words, a × b equals b × a for any numbers a and b. For example, 3 × 8 = 24 just as 8 × 3 = 24. So the statement that the order of factors can be swapped without changing the product describes this property. The other ideas describe different rules: swapping order and changing the product would contradict this property; changing grouping relates to grouping or associativity; and zero times any number being zero is a separate rule about zero.

Multiplication is commutative when you can switch the order of the factors and still get the same product. In other words, a × b equals b × a for any numbers a and b. For example, 3 × 8 = 24 just as 8 × 3 = 24. So the statement that the order of factors can be swapped without changing the product describes this property.

The other ideas describe different rules: swapping order and changing the product would contradict this property; changing grouping relates to grouping or associativity; and zero times any number being zero is a separate rule about zero.