Using The Number Line For Multiplication PracticeMultiplication practice on the number line is the best way to gain confidence with facts such as the times tables and eventually division. This allows your child to see that the number solutions to simple multiplications are consistently accurate and can thus be relied upon. Once this trust in the count has been established, multiplication can move off the number line. Grouping, or Lots OfThe "times" symbol in math means "groups of" or "lots of". For example, the sum 3x2 means "3 lots of 2". In this way we can change a multiplication into an addition. In this example, the sum is the same as 2+2+2. Both these ways of looking at the sum 3x2 yield identical results on the number line. Have a look at how this works in the following short video: This identical result can be obtained from any multiplication sum. The larger the numbers involved, the longer the number line needs to be. Pretty soon it becomes clear that just using the multiplication facts is the easiest and quickest way to group large numbers. Here's another example just for good measure: Moving OnIt's definitely worth doing this a number of times with your child until she is confident with the method and the results it will yield. Once this has been established, the next logical step is to move on to learning the multiplication tables. Return from Multiplication Practice to Basic Math Help or return to the Green Planet home page for Solar Power Facts. |