Is “2 x 5” the same as “5 x 2”?
This seems like a very straight forward question, but think carefully before you give your answer.
While the final number 10 is the same, both equations are different.
When we say “2 x 5”, we are referring to 2 separate groups of 5 units.
When we say “5 x 2”, we are referring to 5 groups, with each group containing 2 units.
If you compare the two equations, the number of groups, and the number of units in each group are different.
Therefore, it is incorrect to say that they are the same.
We cannot say that “2 x 5” = 10 is the same as “5 x 2” = 10 as they represent different things.
This explains a fundamental concept to understanding multiplication.
Found this little math trivia interesting?
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