The associative property states that you can move parenthesis around without affecting the solution to the equation/expression.
Example:
5 • (3 • 2) = (5 • 3) • 2
Which is also written as 5(3•2) = (5•3)2
A is not correct either way since adding and multiplying would have completely different results.
B moves the values, not the parenthesis, although it would be the same.
C uses the distributive property, not associative.
D uses the associative property and is correct.
So the answer is D.
