WHAT PROPERTY OF REAL NUMBERS IS USED IN THE PROCESS OF ADDING AND SUBTRACTING RADICAL EXPRESSIONS?

The property of real numbers that is used in the process of adding and subtracting radical expressions is the commutative property.

The commutative property states that the order in which numbers are added or multiplied does not affect the result. In the case of adding and subtracting radical expressions, this property allows us to rearrange the terms before performing the operation.

For example, let's say we have two radical expressions, √a and √b. To add these expressions, we can rearrange them using the commutative property, so that we have √a + √b. Then, we can perform the operation by combining the like terms, if possible.

Similarly, for subtracting radical expressions, we can rearrange the terms so that they are in a specific order, and then subtract them. For example, if we have √a - √b, we can rearrange this to - √b + √a using the commutative property. Then, we can simply subtract the like terms.

In summary, the commutative property of real numbers is used in the process of adding and subtracting radical expressions, as it allows us to rearrange the terms before performing the operation.