📊🤔 Explore A - Lesson 3.18 Associative Property of Multiplication

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How did you solve the problem? Write down your solution?

Part 1

Once you have solved the problem, notice the two different ways this problem could be solved. Which solution was similar to yours?

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Solution:

7 x 3 x 2

Which two numbers were multiplied first?

7 x 3 = 21

This means (7 x 3) x 2

The product of 7 and 3 is then multiplied by 2.

21 x $2 = $42

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b) Another possible solution:

Solution:

7 x 3 x 2

Which two numbers were multiplied first?

3 x 2

This means 7 x (3 x 2)

The 7 is then multiplied by the product of 3 and 2.

7 x 6 = 42

c) What changed from the first solution to the second solution?

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Part 3

(Recall the associative property of addition states (2 + 3) + 4 is the same as 2 + (3 + 4).)

These two solutions illustrate the associative property of multiplication.  The associative property of multiplication states "when multiplying three or more factors the product is the same regardless of their grouping".