Elementary Math Trivia Quiz

Answer: Those inside parentheses

Parentheses take precedence, always - they are only necessary in an equation for that purpose. Ignore them to your peril.

So the answer would be:

(13 + 7) x (5 - 3) / 4 x (1 + 1) =
20 x 2 / 4 X 2 =
40/8 = 5

Answer: Commutative Property

This is the commutative property. Something that commutes (like a commutator or commuter) goes back and forth, changing direction returning to its original state/position. The math example demonstrates that same property, since writing the equation in either direction (as "3 + 2" and "2 + 3") results in the same answer, 5.

Note that addition and multiplication are both commutative, while subtraction and division are not. Try a few examples and show it to yourself.

Answer: Associative Property

Note the order of the operands does not change as it would in a demonstration of commutativity, just the arrangement of the parentheses.

Think of the three operands, 5, 2 and 7 as classmates. In the example, the left side shows classmates 5 and 2 being friends (in other words, "associating") leaving '7' by itself. The right side of the equation shows the same three classmates, but this time 2 and 7 are associating, and 5 is alone.

Answer: Identity Property

Adding zero to any number does not change the number's value. So, by definition, zero is the identity element for addition (and subtraction). Likewise, the number one is the identity element for multiplication and division, as in 7 x 1 = 7 .

While this property may seem obvious, it is good to understand what it means and how one can use it to simplify otherwise (possibly complex) equations.

Answer: Distributive Property

Note how the three is "distributed" to each of the elements in the parentheses. Knowing this characteristic is important for the proper solving of certain algebraic equations.

Answer: Multiply, Divide, Add, Subtract

We scan the equation and perform operations in the following order:
Parentheses, Exponents and Roots, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction (sometimes abbreviated as PEMDAS or PEDMAS). If there are competing operators, work from left to right. So we would do the following:

2 x 8 = 16, then 16 / 4 = 4, then add 5, then subtract 3 and we get 6.

Imagine if we tossed aside convention and simply performed the math in pure left-to-right order?

5 + 2 = 7, then 7 x 8 = 56, then 56 / 4 = 14, then 14 - 3 = 11!

Answer: 4%Y

Another is to place a dot (a little higher than a period) between the '4' and the 'Y'. Note how confusing it would get to use the 4 x Y approach we all learned as youngsters in Algebra where we often use the letter 'x' to represent "the unknown quantity": 4 x X is a bit confusing.

Most mathematicians use the 4Y syntax - it's unambiguous, succinct and easy to write.

Programmers use the asterisk: 4 * Y

Answer: One that involves two operands

Addition and multiplication are two examples of binary operations.

The equations 2 + 3 and 2 x 3 each have two operands (the '2' and the '3') and one binary operator (the '+' or the 'x')

There are "unary" operations such as placing a minus sign in front of a number to make it negative: -41

One is more likely to run into unary operators in computer programming, however.

Answer: Positive number

Two negative numbers, when multiplied, always yield a positive number.

Answer: Undefined or infinity

Depending on the context, dividing by zero can be quite problematic. In the simplest case, the answer is undefined - after all how does one physically divide something zero times? However, in some more advanced cases it is useful to consider the answer to be infinity.