Some numbers in math are special. They can step into an equation and leave everything unchanged. That’s the magic of the identity property: a rule that shows how 0 is the additive identity (any number plus 0 stays the same) and 1 is the multiplicative identity (any number times 1 stays the same).. Unlike properties such as the commutative or associative properties, it does not involve rearranging or regrouping anything. Instead, numbers keep their value.

Multiplication can feel intimidating at first, especially for young learners who are still gaining confidence with numbers. But there’s an effective way to make everything click: repeated addition.

Good Housekeeping recently published an article by Meg St-Esprit called “How to Raise a Kid Who Loves Math,” featuring insights from parents, educators, and Prodigy Education’s own Director of Educator Enablement, Dr. Joshua Prieur. 

Check out our top homeschooling resources to make home learning fun and effective for your child’s development.

This interview was first broadcast on Edtech Insiders on November 16 2025. Link to the show can be found here. The transcript below has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Math rules can sometimes feel confusing, especially when they involve abstract ideas. One concept that often puzzles young learners is the commutative property, which is the idea that numbers can be added in any order and still give the same result. When you help children spot commutative patterns, they can solve problems more efficiently. This also helps build their confidence when solving multi-step tasks and word problems.