Three rules simplify multiplication

From here onwards I will cover the facts related to performing multiplication. Sometimes we might require subtraction and division as well, but details about these will be discussed separately.

We have already seen various activities through which the child understands that multiplication is directly related to counting, but, while common addition replaces irregular counting, multiplication replaces regular counting.

Now we can teach the child the important vocabulary the process of multiplication owns. This vocabulary is very convenient in making the explanations and referencing simpler. The word "multiplication" means, literally, "many-fold," being derived from the Latin multus (many) and plus (fold). It can be written in the horizontal or vertical form, as shown in the left-hand figure. The number four, called the multiplicand represents the size of each group; the three indicates the number of groups and is called the multiplier. The result, 12, is called the product.

The word factor, from the Latin word meaning "make," refers to the numbers, which literally make up a product. For example, three and four are factors of 12, and three, two, and five are factors of 30.

It is always better that children memorize these basic multiplication facts after understanding the process of multiplication. For practical purposes, and as a convenience, many such frequently used facts and relationships must be memorized and practiced for immediate recall.

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Children can derive the three rules given below on their own while practicing multiplication and enjoy mastery over very complicated multiplication.

• Order in multiplication
  Ask children to compare multiplication 3 x 2 with 2 x 3. Here, if required, we can use our cards to illustrate these. Many such comparisons give us a rule that "the order of performing multiplication does not affect the answer." This law allows the choice of the easier of two multiplications; for example, the great majority of people prefer the form .
  This law also provides one means of checking multiplication. We can ensure the accuracy of multiplication by comparing answers from multiplication performed before and after interchanging multiplier and multiplicand. Knowledge of this law also decreases the burden of memorization in learning the multiplication facts as 5 x 6 and



• Distribution in multiplication
  To multiply 4(10+5), we multiply 4x10 and 4x5, adding the result. Thus, 4(10+5)=(4x10)+(4x5)=40+20. This property may be stated as a principle: multiplication is distributive with respect to addition. Using this principle we have: 6(20+8)=(6x20)+(6x8)=120+48 or 5(300+80+7)=(5x300)+(5x80)+(5x7).
  The copyright of the article Three rules simplify multiplication in Math for Kids is owned by Vidya Narayan Wadadekar . Permission to republish Three rules simplify multiplication in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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