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Breaking Down the Concept

Our friend, the squirrel, collects three acorns every day. If he continues this for five days, how many acorns will he have in total?

Let's break it down:

• Daily Collection: Each day, the squirrel collects a group of three acorns.

• Five-Day Total: Over five days, he collects five groups of three acorns.

To find the total, you can simply add the acorns collected each day:

3+3+3+3+33 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 33+3+3+3+3

Alternatively, you can use multiplication to simplify the process. Multiplication is essentially a shortcut for adding equal groups. In this case, you have:

5×3=155 \times 3 = 155×3=15

Here’s how you can think of it:

• Five Groups of Three: Imagine each day as a group containing three acorns.

• Skip Counting: Count by threes – 3, 6, 9, 12, 15.

By understanding that multiplication is about creating multiple equal groups, you can easily solve similar problems. Five groups of three acorns give us:

3+3+3+3+3=153 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 153+3+3+3+3=15

Therefore, 5×35 \times 35×3 equals 15 acorns.

The Multiplication Symbol

The multiplication symbol (×) represents the process of combining equal groups. So, when you see 5×35 \times 35×3, it means five groups of three.

To sum up, multiplication simplifies the addition of equal groups, making calculations quicker and easier. For more practice and to master this concept, visit Khan Academy's extensive resources.