Properties of Real

Numbers
Lesson 4
Properties of Real Numbers

 This lesson is going to introduce the

learner to the properties of real numbers.

 In this lesson let a, b and c be real

numbers, expressions or variables.
Commutative Property
 Commutative Property of Addition
 a+b=b+a

 Examples: 5+3=3+5
x+4=4+x
4x + 2c = 2c + 4x
Commutative Property
 Commutative Property of Multiplication
 a●b=b●a

 Examples: 5 ● (3) = (3) ● 5

x ● 8=8●x
Associative Property
 Associative Property of Addition
 a + ( b + c) = (a + b ) + c

 Examples: 3+(4+5)=(3+4)+5
x+(7+m)=(x+7)+m
Associative Property
 Associative Property of Multiplication
 a●(b●c)=(a●b)●c

 Examples: 5●(6●2)=(5●6)●2
4●(x●y)=(4●x)●y
Distributive Property
a ● ( b + c) = a●b + a●c

 Examples: 4 ● ( 3 + 2 ) = 4●3 + 4●2

x ● ( 9 + 5) = x●9 + x●5
Additive Identity Property
 a+0=a

 Examples: 3+0=3
2x + 0 = 2x
-4 + 0 = -4
Multiplicative Identity Property
 a●1=a

 Examples: 5●1=5
x●1=x
(-2t) ● 1 = (-2t)
Additive Inverse Property
 a + (-a) = 0

 Examples: 5 + (-5) = 0
8m + (-8m) = 0
Multiplicative Inverse Property
1
a• =1 ,a≠0
a
1
 Examples: 5 • =1
5
1
3x • =1
3x
Examples
 What property is illustrated below?

 5+1=1+5
 2 + ( x + 4 ) = (2 + x ) + 4
 8 + (-8) = 0
 (3 ● 4) + 2 = (4 ● 3) + 2
Answers
1) Commutative Property of Addition
2) Associative Property of Addition
3) Additive Inverse Property
4) Commutative Property of Multiplication
- (3●4) + 2 = (4●3) + 2
- Notice how the (+ 2) does not change
position in the equation and the only change is
the 3 being multiplied to the 4.
More Examples
1
1) 3x • =1
3x
2) 3●(4●5)=(3●4)●5

3) 4y ● 1 = 4y
Answers
1) Multiplicative Inverse Property
2) Associative Property of Multiplication
3) Multiplicative Identity Property
Multiplicative Property of Zero
 a●0=0

 Examples: 5●0=0
2x ● 0 = 0