Is Subtraction is associative

Answer 1

True. You may not be able to switch numbers like 4-2=2-4 but you would say 4-2=-2+4

* * * * *

That is not the associative property!

The associative property requires that the order of operation can be changed without affecting the final result. This is clearly not the case with subtraction since:

(5 - 3) - 2 = 2 - 2 = 0

while

5 - (3 - 2) = 5 - 1 = 4

Answer 2

No.

Say you have three terms, and you group two of them with parentheses. If the operation is associative, it doesn't matter what order the terms are in, or how you group them. Addition and multiplication are associative.

3+4+5 = (3+4)+5 = 3+(4+5) = 12

3x4x5 = (3x4)x5 = 3x(4x5) = 60

And you can put the 3, 4, and 5 in any order, and you'd still get 12 by adding them all, or 60 by multiplying them all.

With subtraction (and division), the order makes a difference:

10-5-2 = 3
(10-5)-2 = 3
BUT
10-(5-2) = 10-3 = 7

So subtraction is not an associative property.