this post was submitted on 27 Nov 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] SpaceCadet@feddit.nl 3 points 23 hours ago (2 children)

something has to be the rule for processing it

Well the rule is: any order goes. Summation is commutative.

[–] Quatlicopatlix@feddit.org 2 points 21 hours ago

Yes thank you! If you have a sum it is really great to order it in a way that makes it better to ad in your head and i think that lots of people do that without thinking about it. X=2+3+1+6+2+4+7+5 X=2+3+5+4+6+7+1+2 X=5+5 + 10 +7+1+2 X=10 + 10 + 7+3 X=10 + 10 + 10

[–] MotoAsh@piefed.social 2 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago)

No, you completely misunderstood my point. My point is not to describe all valid interpretations of the commutative property, but the one most slow kids will hear.

OFC the actual rule is the order doesn't matter, but kids that don't pick up on the nuance of the commutative property will still remember, "order of appearance is fine".