What are the meanings of these like terms Associative, Commutative, and Distrubitive

Addition and multiplication have the associative property:

    2 + ( 3 + 5 )  =  ( 2 + 3 ) + 5          (same answer either way)

    2 x ( 3 x 5 )  =  ( 2 x 3 ) x 5          (same answer either way)

In other words, it does not make any difference if you associate the last two together or if you associate the first two together.

This is true for any three numbers that you wish to add or multiply.

Subtraction and division do not have this property for all numbers.

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Addition and multiplication have the commutative property:

     2 + 3  =  3 + 2

     2 x 3  =  3 x 2

That is, you can add or multiply in either order; order isn't important.

To "commute" means to go "back and forth" = both ways.

Again, subtraction and division do not have this property.

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The distributive property gives the ability to distribute multiplication over addition.

2(3 + 4)  =  (2x3) + (2x4)

In other words, you "multiply out"; it also works if you have subtraction instead of addition.