Complete the equation. $9 \times 4 = 4 \times \_\_\_$ https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-perseus-graphie/2c05c4a74b235b9b75160a1f7dd3d4fbd0ec3da3.svg $9$ groups of $4$ has the same total as $4$ groups of $9$ https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-perseus-graphie/a10207c493df8ddfc39b912c3a283df62520c889.svg In multiplication, we can switch the factors without changing our total. $\begin{array}{rcl} \text{Number of groups} \times \text{size of the groups} & = & \text{total} \\ \\ \text{Size of the groups} \times \text{number of groups} & = & \text{total} \end{array}$ We call that pattern the commutative property of multiplication. $9 \times 4 = 4 \times 9$