How to read correctly this statement (associative law)

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the interpretation of the associative law in arithmetic, specifically the statement "a + (b + c) = (a + b) + c." Participants are exploring how to correctly articulate this statement in English, considering its implications in the context of real numbers.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks clarification on how to read the statement, questioning whether it should be articulated as "a plus the sum of b and c is equal to the sum of a and b plus c" or simply "a plus b plus c is equal to a plus b plus c."
  • Another participant confirms that the first interpretation accurately reflects the meaning of the statement.
  • A third participant reiterates the confirmation, expressing gratitude for the clarification.
  • A later reply suggests that the first interpretation implies the second, noting that in associative operations, parentheses can often be omitted for simplicity.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There appears to be agreement among some participants that the first interpretation is correct, but the discussion does not resolve whether one interpretation is more appropriate than the other.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not address potential nuances in the interpretation of the associative law or the implications of different phrasing on understanding the concept.

tomas_xc
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I'm not a native speaker of English and I was reading a Calculus's book and I didn't know the correct way to read a statement about real numbers. This is the statement:

"a + (b + c) = (a + b) + c"

Is it "a plus the sum of b and c is equal to the sum of a and b plus c"?
Or is it just "a plus b plus c is equal to a plus b plus c"?

I just think the second one inappropriate because it doesn't tell the associative law at all.

So, can anybody tell me the correct way?
Thanks!
 
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The first one is exactly what it's saying.
 
Office_Shredder said:
The first one is exactly what it's saying.

Thank you! You really helped me.
 
the first implies the second. once you have an associative operation, you always drop such parentheses to save effort.
 

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