Access our flashcards on multiplication and follow along with our video.

Multiplication can be easily understood through the concept of repeated addition. Imagine you have a favorite fruit—let's say avocados. If you eat two avocados every day for six days, you can calculate the total number of avocados eaten by simply adding the number of avocados consumed each day.

Calculating with Repeated Addition

• Step 1: Identify the number of items per group (in this case, avocados per day).

• Step 2: Determine the number of groups (days).

• Step 3: Add the items in each group together:2+2+2+2+2+2=122 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 122+2+2+2+2+2=12.
  

While adding groups of numbers is effective, multiplication offers a neater and quicker solution. Instead of writing six twos and adding them, you can multiply: 6×2=126 \times 2 = 126×2=12

This method of using multiplication for repeated addition can be applied to various scenarios.

Another Example: Four Times Three

Consider the question, "What is four times three?" This can be written as repeated addition: 3+3+3+3=123 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 123+3+3+3=12

Alternatively, you can view it as: 4×3=124 \times 3 = 124×3=12

Practice Problem: Three Times Four

Try another example to see if the pattern holds: 4+4+4=124 + 4 + 4 = 124+4+4=12 3×4=123 \times 4 = 123×4=12

Interestingly, both calculations lead to the same result, demonstrating the commutative property of multiplication (i.e., the order of factors does not affect the product).

Conclusion

Multiplication simplifies the process of repeated addition. By understanding this relationship, you can tackle more complex problems with ease. For a comprehensive explanation and more practice, don't forget to check out Khan Academy's video and our flashcards.