Why is division of whole numbers not always associative?

Division of whole numbers is not associative because the grouping of numbers affects the result. For example, if you take the numbers 8, 4, and 2, the expression (8 ÷ 4) ÷ 2 equals 1, while 8 ÷ (4 ÷ 2) equals 4. Since the outcomes differ based on how the numbers are grouped, division does not satisfy the associative property.