Colin drove 45 minutes to the airport. He arrived 90 minutes before his flight departed, and then he spent 70 minutes in the air. Once he landed, Colin spent 20 minutes gathering his luggage, and then he drove 35 minutes to his hotel. What must be true of any expression that represents the total time that Colin spent traveling from his house to the hotel?
Answer
A
The numbers must be added in either the order 45, 90, 70, 20, and 35 or the order 35, 20, 70, 90, and 45.
B
The numbers can be added in any order.
C
The numbers must be added in the order 45, 90, 70, 20, and 35.
D
The number 45 must be the first addend, and 35 must be the last addend.
Explanation
The total time is the sum of 45, 90, 70, 20, and 35 minutes. Since addition gives the same sum regardless of the order of the addends, these numbers can be added in any order. Therefore, the statement that the numbers can be added in any order must be true.
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