Sheet # 187/Number Properties
Name: _____________________ Date_____________
Explain and Show Your Work
Which of the operations below are commutative and which are not? Explain your answers.
1) To put your coat and to pick up your boots
2) To wash your clothes and to dry them.
3) To put on your left shoe and to put on your right shoe
4) To hang up the phone and to say good-bye.
5) To wash your car and to vacuum it.
6) To add sugar and to add cream in coffeee.
7) To cut the tree and to make the paper.
8) To put toothpaste and to brush your teeth.
9) Having $10 and spending $5, and having $5 and trying to spend $10.
Answers to Sheet #187
1. Not commutative - Can't put coat on with boots in hand
2. Not Commutative - Only dry clothes because they are wet from washing
them
3. Commutative - Does not matter whether one puts on right or left shoe
first
4. Not Commutative - If hang up the phone and then say bye, one would be
saying bye to no one
5. Commutative - One can wash car outside then vacuum inside or one could
vacuum then wash car
6. Commutative - Doesn't matter whether sugar or cream is added first,
coffee will be the same in the end
7. Not Commutative - Need to cut the tree before making the paper, since
the paper is made of the tree
8. Not Commutative - Need toothpaste in order to brush teeth, otherwise
would be brushing with a dry brush
9. Not Commutative - Can't spend $10, if only have $5