Content description

Apply the associative, commutative and distributive laws to aid mental and written computation (ACMNA151)

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)

Subtraction

The commutative and associative rules do not apply to subtraction and division.

For example:

• 6 − 5 ≠ 5 − 6
• 12 ÷ 3 ≠ 3 ÷ 12
• (12 − 3) − 1 ≠ 12 − (3 − 1)
• (12 ÷ 3) ÷ 2 ≠ 12 ÷ (3 ÷ 2)