Final answer:
The sum of 107 + 0 + 39 + 13 involves the Commutative Property and the Associative Property of addition, which confirms option (a) as the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
When finding the sum of 107 + 0 + 39 + 13, you make use of the Commutative Property of addition, which states that the order in which two numbers are added does not change the sum (A + B = B + A). For instance, adding 2 + 3 gives the same result as adding 3 + 2. In our case, this means that 107 + 0 + 39 + 13 is the same as 0 + 107 + 13 + 39 or any other order.
Additionally, the sum uses the Associative Property of addition, which allows one to group numbers differently without changing the result. For example, (A + B) + C = A + (B + C). Thus, the grouping of the numbers in 107 + (0 + 39) + 13 does not affect the sum.
Accordingly, the correct answer to the student's question is option (a) because both the Commutative Property and Associative Property are properties that apply to addition, which are involved when calculating this sum.