A mathematical property is a characteristic or rule that applies to numbers or mathematical operations. These properties help simplify calculations and solve problems. For example, the commutative property states that the order of addition or multiplication does not change the result, such as in the equation 3 + 5 = 5 + 3. Another important property is the associative property, which indicates that when adding or multiplying, the grouping of numbers does not affect the outcome. For instance, (2 + 3) + 4 equals 2 + (3 + 4). Understanding these properties is essential for mastering basic mathematics.