Identify the property of multiplication of whole numbers that is illustrated in the following.
3 * 1 = 3
The property of multiplication being illustrated in the example "3 * 1 = 3" is the identity property of multiplication.
To understand this property better, let's break it down. The identity property of multiplication states that when any number is multiplied by 1, the value of that number remains unchanged. In other words, multiplying a number by 1 does not alter its value.
In the given example, we have 3 multiplied by 1, and the product is also 3. This demonstrates the identity property of multiplication because the value of 3 remains the same after being multiplied by 1.
In general terms, for any whole number 'a', the identity property of multiplication can be written as:
a * 1 = a