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Kids Math

Multiplication Basics

What is multiplication?

Multiplication is when you take one number and add it together a number of times.

Example:

5 multiplied by 4 = 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 20

We took the number 5 and added it together 4 times. This is why multiplication is sometimes called "times".

More examples: Signs for Multiplication

There are a few different signs that people use to indicate multiplication. The most common is the "x" sign, but sometimes people use a "*" sign or other symbols. Here are some ways to indicate 5 multiplied by 4. Sometimes when people use variables in multiplication they will just put the variables next to each other to indicate multiplication. Here are a few examples: Factors and Products

Sometimes when teachers talk about multiplication they will use the terms factors and products.

Factors are the numbers you are multiplying together. Products are the answers.

(factor) x (factor) = product

Multiplying by Zero and One

Zero and one are two special cases when multiplying.

When multiplying by 0, the answer is always 0.

Examples: When multiplying by 1, the answer is always the same as the number multiplied by 1.

Examples: Order Doesn't Matter

An important rule to remember with multiplication is that the order you multiply numbers doesn't matter. You can multiply them in any order you want and the answer will be the same. This can help sometimes when you get stuck on a problem. Just try it the other way.

Examples: Multiplication Table

Once you learn the basics of multiplication, you will want to learn the multiplication table, also called the times table. This table includes all of the possible multiplications between the numbers 1 to 12. That is all the way from 1 x 1 to 12 x 12.

It may sound like a lot of useless work to memorize this table, but it will help you a LOT later in school. You will be able to solve harder problems faster and easier if you know these numbers by heart.

Here is the table:


Click on the table to get a larger version you can print out.

Advanced Kids Math Subjects

Multiplication
Intro to Multiplication
Long Multiplication
Multiplication Tips and Tricks

Division
Intro to Division
Long Division
Division Tips and Tricks

Fractions
Intro to Fractions
Equivalent Fractions
Simplifying and Reducing Fractions
Adding and Subtracting Fractions
Multiplying and Dividing Fractions

Decimals
Decimals Place Value
Adding and Subtracting Decimals
Multiplying and Dividing Decimals 		Statistics
Mean, Median, Mode, and Range
Picture Graphs

Algebra
Order of Operations
Exponents
Ratios
Ratios, Fractions, and Percentages

Geometry
Polygons
Quadrilaterals
Triangles
Pythagorean Theorem
Circle
Perimeter
Surface Area

Misc
Basic Laws of Math
Prime Numbers
Roman Numerals
Binary Numbers


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