Final answer:
The expression 1 + 6 + 3 can be calculated as (1+6) + 3, which equals 7 + 3 = 10, or as 1 + (6+3), which equals 1 + 9 = 10. This shows the associative property of addition, meaning that the sum remains the same no matter how you group the numbers.
Step-by-step explanation:
To work out the expression 1 + 6 + 3 in two different ways, we can use the associative property of addition, which states that numbers can be grouped in any order and the sum will be the same. This property is denoted by the equation A + B = B + A.
a) Grouping the first two numbers: (1 + 6) + 3. First, we add 1 + 6 to get 7. Then we add 3 to this sum, which gives us 7 + 3 = 10. So, (1 + 6) + 3 = 7 + 3 = 10.
b) Grouping the last two numbers: 1 + (6 + 3). First, we add 6 + 3 to get 9. Then we add 1 to this sum, which gives us 1 + 9 = 10. So, 1 + (6 + 3) = 1 + 9 = 10.
Both methods show that regardless of how we group the numbers, the sum is the same, illustrating the associative property of addition.