Algebraic Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities

Vocabulary

additive identity

number zero, which has the property that a+0=aa+0=a for any real number aa

additive inverse

for a real number aa, the number a-a. The sum of a number and its additive inverse is the additive identity, zero.

associative property of addition

property stating that when adding three or more numbers, the sum does not change based on the way the numbers are grouped:
a+(b+c)=(a+b)+ca+(b+c)=(a+b)+c

associative property of multiplication

property stating that when multiplying three or more real numbers, the product does not change based on the way the numbers are grouped:
a(bc)=(ab)ca(bc)=(ab)c

commutative property of addition

property stating that when adding real numbers, the sum does not change based on the order of the numbers:
a+b=b+aa+b=b+a

commutative property of multiplication

property stating that when multiplying real numbers, the product does not change based on the order of the numbers:
ab=baab=ba

distributive property

property stating that multiplying an expression by a sum is the same as multiplying the expression by each term in the sum and then adding the products:
a(b+c)=ab+aca(b+c)=ab+ac

identity property of addition

Property stating that the sum of zero and any number is the number itself:
a+0=aa+0=a

identity property of multiplication

property stating that the product of 11 and any number is the given number:
a1=aa\cdot1=a

multiplicative identity

number 1, which has the property a1=aa\cdot1=a for any real number aa

multiplicative inverse

for a nonzero real number aa, the number 1a\frac{1}{a}. The product of a number and its multiplicative inverse is the multiplicative identity, 1.

order of operations

set of rules indicating which calculations to perform first to simplify a mathematical expression