Commutativity

/ˌkɒmjuːtəˈtɪvɪti/ noun

Definition

The property of an operation where changing the order of the items doesn't change the result, like addition (a+b = b+a).

Etymology

From commutative + -ity (noun-forming suffix). Commutative derives from Latin commutatus, developed as a mathematical term in the 1800s.

Kelly Says

Commutativity is what makes the multiplication table symmetric—if you flip it diagonally, it looks the same! But this property mysteriously fails for subtraction and division, which is why mathematicians had to name it.

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