What Are Properties in Math?

In math, properties demonstrate general rules that are used in calculations. The most commonly used properties in day-to-day math are the properties of addition and multiplication. The commutative property of addition, for example, states that no matter how you order the numbers when adding, the result is the same.

The commutative property of multiplication is similar to that of addition. It states that the order in which numbers are multiplied does not affect the outcome. For example, 3 multiplied by 4 multiplied by 5 equals 60, and 5 multiplied by 3 multiplied by 4 also equals 60.

Another common property in math is the multiplicative identity property. This property states that the product of any number multiplied by 1 will always result in that number, such as in the case of 5 multiplied by 1 equals 5, or 22 multiplied by 1 equals 22.