Properties of Addition

Summary
This lesson introduces students to the Commutative Property of Addition and the Associative Property of Addition.

Objectives
• To be able to explain the Commutative Property of Addition.

• To be able to explain the Associative Property of Addition.

• To be able to identify which property is being used in a math problem.

Suggested Grades
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade

Excerpt
The Commutative Property of Addition states that addends can be added in any order without the sum changing.

For example, saying that 4 + 5 = 9 is the same as saying 5 + 4 = 9. The Commutative Property of Addition tells us that the sum will always be 9, no matter what order these two numbers are added in. In other words, 4 + 5 = 5 + 4.

Continued...