Multiplication Strategies

Multiplication is a way to add the same number many times. For example, 3 x 4 means adding 3 four times: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12.

'Groups of' means you have a certain number of items in each group. For example, 5 groups of 3 means there are 5 groups with 3 items in each.

An array is a way to organize objects in rows and columns. For example, 3 rows of 4 objects each can be shown as an array.

The multiplication sentence is 3 x 2 = 6.

The multiplication sentence is 4 x 5 = 20.

Equal groups means that each group has the same number of items. For example, if you have 12 apples in 3 equal groups, each group has 4 apples.

Skip counting is counting by a number instead of by 1. For example, counting by 2s: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.

The area model shows multiplication as the area of a rectangle. For example, a rectangle that is 3 units wide and 4 units long has an area of 12.

The multiplication sentence is 2 x 3 = 6.

The multiplication sentence is 5 x 4 = 20.