Today Aiden and I continued with simplifying algebraic expressions. While working through the problem 5x+2y-3x, it prompted us to review properties. We discussed the distributive, associative, and commutative properties. I showed Aiden using variables what it means for expressions to possess these characteristics (ex: a(bc)=(ab)c). Then we used constants for more concrete examples (ex: 2(3x4)=(2x3)x4). Aiden noticed independently that these properties would only apply to addition and multiplication. For example a+b=b+a (3+4=4+3) but this would not be the case for subtraction since a-b is not equivalent to b-a (3-4 not= 3-4). In the expression 5x+2y-3x, Aiden got 2x+2y. Then he practiced substituting random/made up values for x and y and confirming that whether we substituted those values into 5x+2y-3x or 2x+2y, we would get the same result. I explained to Aiden that is what equivalent expressions are. They may look different, however, after simplifying completely, they are in fact, the same.