commutative
Denoting an operation that is independent of the order of the numbers or symbols concerned.

Multiplication and addition are commutative operations in ordinary arithmetic. They are often referred to as the commutative law of multiplication and the commutative law of addition. This can be illustrated by the following example: the result of adding 1+2 is the same as that of adding 2+1. Also, the result of 2×3 is the same as that of 3×2. However, subtraction and division are not commutative operations.


Related Terms: associative, distributive


 
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