What is the commutative property?

The commutative property refers to the principle that the order of numbers in addition or multiplication does not affect the result. This means that when you are adding or multiplying a set of numbers, you can rearrange them in any order, and the outcome will remain the same. For instance, if you take the numbers 2 and 3, both 2 + 3 and 3 + 2 will yield 5, demonstrating the commutative property for addition. Similarly, for multiplication, 4 × 5 and 5 × 4 both result in 20. This property is fundamental in mathematics and allows for flexibility in calculations, making it easier to work with numbers in different arrangements. The other response options do not accurately capture this principle, as they imply restrictions on how numbers can be added or multiplied.