Basic Math Multipilcation Tips
- Every problem has a twin, according to mathisfun.com. If you're having difficulty remembering that 9 x 3 = 27, than it might be easier to remember that 3 x 9 yields the same answer.
- It can be helpful to remember the multiplication problems that are squares, according to mathisfun.com. Squares are the problems where a number is multiplied by itself; for instance, 4 x 4 = 16. Memorizing the squares can help you work out the sums for problems in which numbers are separated by two. If you're having difficulty remembering that 9 x 7 = 63, then take the number in the middle (8), multiply it by itself (64) and then subtract one (63) for the answer.
- No child should move on to multiplication until they've mastered addition, says Smith. She recommends starting with doubles (1 + 1, 2 + 2, etc...), up to 12. Multiplication is nothing more than sequential adding.
- When you multiply by five, the sum always alternates between five and zero. Another tip to figuring out the 5 times table is that the sum is half of the same problem when multiplied by 10. For instance, 5 x 6 = 30, while 10 x 6 = 60. Smith says that if the student is able to count from zero to 60 by fives, there's a good chance they've already memorized most of the answers.
- The numbers may look hard on paper, but multiplying by 10, 11 and 12 isn't that difficult. For 10s Smith says put a zero after the number (10 x 7 = 70). For 11s (up to 9), just write the number down twice (11 x 4 = 44); for 10 and above, add the two digits together and put the sum between them (11 x 13 (1 + 3 = 4) = 143). For 12s use the 10 times plus two method (10 x 1 = 10 + 2 = 12, which is the answer to 12 x 1).
Twins
Remembering squares
Know your addition
Five and Zero
Double digits
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