Read the following prompt and type your response in the space provided.
Identify which property of addition could be used to solve the following problem. Solve the problem and justify how using the property makes the problem easier to solve.
(5.9 + 3.2) + 1.8
The property of addition that could be used to solve the given problem is the associative property of addition. According to this property, changing the grouping of numbers being added does not change their sum.
To solve the problem, we can rearrange the numbers by regrouping them in a different order while maintaining the sum. Therefore, we can first add 5.9 and 3.2, which equals 9.1. Then, we can add 9.1 to 1.8, which equals 10.9.
Using the associative property of addition makes the problem easier to solve because it allows us to add the numbers in a way that is convenient and logical, without changing the result. By regrouping the numbers in the expression, we can simplify the calculation and arrive at the solution more efficiently.