Multiplication Facts

Key Concepts

• Applying the multiplication facts
• Associative(grouping) property of multiplication

3.4. Practice multiplication facts & The associate property: multiply with 3 factors 

What is a multiplication fact? 

A multiplication fact is an answer to a multiplication calculation. 

Some examples of multiplication facts. 

• 4 × 3 = 12 (the multiplication fact is 12) 
• 7 × 8 = 56 (the multiplication fact is 56) 

What is the associative property of multiplication? 

The associative property of multiplication states that the way in which the numbers are grouped in a multiplication problem does not affect or change the product of those numbers. 

Associative Property of Multiplication 

Example for the associative property of multiplication. 

(6 × 5 ) × 7 = 6 × (5 × 7) 

(30) × 7 = 6 × (35) 

210 = 210 

3.4.1 Applying the multiplication facts 

Example1: 

Mr Ling arranged fruit salad bowls for his friends. He placed 7 rows of bowls, and each row had 4 bowls. How many fruits does the salad bowl Ling arrange? 

Solution: 

Find 7 x 4. 

One way: 

Step1: Draw a picture to find 7 x 4. 

7 x 4 means 7 groups of 4 

Combine groups to find the product. 

4 feet in each section. 

Step2: Multiply 7 x 4 = 28. 

Another way: 

Use known facts to find 7 x 4. 

Use 5 and 2 as a fact to help. 

Add 20 + 8 = 28. 

Example2: 

Mischa bought 6 packs of balls. Each packet has 3 balls. How many balls did Mischa buy? 

Solution: 

6 x 3 means 6 groups of 3. 

Combine groups to find the product. 

3 feet in each section. 

6 x 3 = 18. 

Another way: 

Use known facts to find 6 x 3. 

Use 4 and 2 as a fact to help. 

Add 12 + 6 = 18. 

3.4.2 Associative(grouping) property of multiplication    

Example1:   

Ricardo has 6 pages of stickers in an album. Each page has 6 rows with 4 stickers in each row. How many stickers are there in Ricardo’s album? 

Solution: 

Multiply (6 x 6) x 4. 

One way’s 

Find 6 x 6 first. 

Another way: 

 6 x (6 x 4) 

Find 6 x 4 first. 

Example2: 

Sarah is joining 5 sections of grid. Each section has 3 rows with 4 squares in each row. How many squares are there in these 5 sections? Find 5 x 3 x 4. 

Solution: 

Multiply (5 x 3) x 4. 

One way’s 

Find 5 x 3 first. 

15 rows 4 squares in each row. 

There are 60 squares in all. 

Another way: 

5x (3 x 4) 

Find 6 x 4 first. 

EXERCISE

1. 1. Use known facts and strategies to find the product.
   a. 8 x 2 =
   b. 2 x 6=
   c. 8 x 7=
2. 2. To find 8 x 4, how does knowing 6 x 4 = 24 help you?
3. 3. What is 7 x 3?
4. 4. Use the associative property of multiplication to find the missing number.
   a. 7 x (2 x 4) = (7×2) x
   b. 4x (3 x 2) = (4 x 3) x
5. Use the associative property of multiplication to find the product.
   a. 2 x 3 x 5 =
   b. 5 x 6 x 3=
6. Mary says she can find the product for 2 x 4 x 7 by solving 4 x2 x7. Is Mary correct? Explain.
7. Which known facts can you use to find 9 x 5?
8. Farmer has a garden with three sections of vegetables. Each section of vegetables has 5 rows with 6 plants in each row. How many plants does the farmer plant?
9. A movie theatre has 2 sections. Each section has 6 rows and each row has 8 seats. Find the total number of seats are there in the movie theatre.
10. Fill in the blanks for the following:
    4x (3 x 2) = (4 x 3) x
    6x (2 x 5) = (6 x2) x
    (20 x 5) x 11 = 20 x (11x )

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