Relations among integral operations

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Relations between addition and subtraction

Relations between addition and subtraction are
if x + y = z, then z - y = x, and,
if z - y = x, then x + y = z.
Now we show this as a figure.
This way is difficult, but that makes it easy to understand relations between addition and subtraction a little.
First, we draw a line and we pick up a point on the line. We make this point 0 (The point where the lines intersect in the figure). Next we take another point on the line and we make this point 1. We make the point 2 which is at twice of length between 0 and 1, from 0 toward 1 (right in the figure). We make the point 3 which is at three times of length between 0 and 1, from 0 toward 1... Similarly we determine the point of every positive integer n. We make the point -1 which is at the same length between 0 and 1, from 0 toward the opposite direction of 1 (left in the figure). We make the point -2 which is at twice of length between 0 and 1, from 0 toward the opposite direction of 1 (left in the figure). We make the point -3 which is at three times of length between 0 and 1, from 0 toward the opposite direction of 1 (left in the figure)... Similarly we determine the point of every negative integer -n.
When you click the button, the position of the point is displayed in the figure.

Now, we will show the addition with the figure. For example, we take the point of 3, from the point toward the right, we take the point of the length between 0 and 5, then the point is of 3 + 5.

When you click the button, 3 (the first number) is displayed over the line, and 0 is displayed under it. And 5 (the second number) is displayed under the point which lays at the same length of the length between 0 and 5, from the first point toward the right, and displayed over it, 8 (= 3 + 5).

This figure shows the following relation.

Please click the "Result" button.

Moreover, we will do the following computation. After clicking some of the buttons above, please click the "result" button. Also, after clicking any position on the line of the figure, please click any position under the line, and after that, please click the "Result" button.


The laws about the addition

As for the addition, the following laws hold.

The commutative law of the addition

x + y = y + x holds for any integers x and y.
To see this, please click the buttons "3 + 5" and "5 + 3".

The associative law of the addition

(x + y) + z = x + (y + z) holds for any integers x, y and z. (This can not be expressed by this figure)

The relations between the multiplication and the division

The relations between the multiplication and the division are
If x * y = z (and y is not equal to 0), then z / y = x, and,
if z / y = x, then x * y = z.
(the symbol "*" stands for the multiplication, and the symbol "/" stands for the division, the notation is valid only here.) z / 0 is not defined. Now we will show it in the figure.
This way is quite difficult, but it is useful a little to make it easy to understand the relation between multiplication and division.
First, shown as above, we draw a line (horizontal line in the figure) and we make an integer correspond to the point on the line. Next, we draw another line (vertical line in the figure) and also we make an integer correspond to the point on the line.

To show multiplication with the figure, it is difficult, but we do as follows. For example, first, we take the point 3 on the horizontal line, and next, we take the point 5 on the vertical line. We draw the line which links the point taken on the horizontal line to the point 1 of the vertical line. We draw the line which is parallel to this line, and passes through the point taken on the vertical line. The point which this line and the horizontal line intersect is the point of 3 * 5.

With clicking the button, it will show the situation of the computation of 3 * 5.

This figure shows the following relations.

Click the "Result" button.

Moreover, we will do the following computation. After clicking some of the buttons above, click the "Result" button. Also, after clicking any position on the horizontal line of the figure, click any position on the vertical line, and after that, click the "Result" button.



The laws between the addition and the multiplication

The following statements about the addition and the multiplication hold.

The commutative law of the multiplication

x * y = y * x holds for any integers x and y.
To see this situation, click the "3 * 5" and "5 * 3" buttons.

The associative law of the multiplication

(x * y) * z = x * (y * z) holds for any integers x, y and z. (This can not be expressed by this figure).

The distributive law

x * (y + z) = (x * y) + (x * z) and (x + y) * z = (x * z) + (y * z) hold for any integers x, y and z.
To see this situation, click the "3 * 2", "3 * 3" and "3 * 5" buttons.