Final answer:
The phrase 'the order of the factors does not alter the product' refers to the Commutative Property of Multiplication in mathematics, which states that the order in which you multiply numbers does not change the final product.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'the order of the factors does not alter the product' is a fundamental principle in mathematics known as the Commutative Property of Multiplication. This means that the order in which you multiply numbers does not change the result. For instance, if we have two numbers, let's say 3 and 4, it doesn't matter if we multiply 3 by 4 (3*4 = 12) or 4 by 3 (4*3 = 12), the product is the same, which is 12.
Learn more about Commutative Property of Multiplication