Step-by-step Maths Level 4: Order in multiplication and equal groups

Method. Swap the numbers round. The total stays the same.

1. Work out the first fact: 3 × 2. This tells us the total.
   3 × 2 = 6
2. Swap the two numbers round. The order of the numbers in a multiplication does not change the answer.
   2 × 3 = 6
3. Write the missing number. It is the number that moved to the front.
   2

Check. Check: 3 × 2 and 2 × 3 are both 6.

Watch out. Multiplication works in any order, but division does not: 12 ÷ 3 is not the same as 3 ÷ 12.

Method. Multiply the number of groups by the number in each group.

1. Write 8 groups of 4 as a multiplication. Each bag holds the same number.
   8 × 4
2. Count in 4s, 8 times. Each count is one bag.
   4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32
3. Write the answer. This is the total altogether.
   32

Check. Check: 4 × 8 = 32, and 8 × 4 is the same.

Watch out. The number of bags is the number of groups. The number in each bag is the group size.

Method. Multiply the number of groups by the number in each group.

1. Write 6 groups of 4 as a multiplication. Each bag holds the same number.
   6 × 4
2. Count in 4s, 6 times. Each count is one bag.
   4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24
3. Write the answer. This is the total altogether.
   24

Check. Check: 4 × 6 = 24, and 6 × 4 is the same.

Watch out. The number of bags is the number of groups. The number in each bag is the group size.

Method. Swap the numbers round. The total stays the same.

1. Work out the first fact: 4 × 12. This tells us the total.
   4 × 12 = 48
2. Swap the two numbers round. The order of the numbers in a multiplication does not change the answer.
   12 × 4 = 48
3. Write the missing number. It is the number that moved to the front.
   12

Check. Check: 4 × 12 and 12 × 4 are both 48.

Watch out. Multiplication works in any order, but division does not: 12 ÷ 3 is not the same as 3 ÷ 12.

Method. Multiply the number of groups by the number in each group.

1. Write 6 groups of 3 as a multiplication. Each bag holds the same number.
   6 × 3
2. Count in 3s, 6 times. Each count is one bag.
   3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18
3. Write the answer. This is the total altogether.
   18

Check. Check: 3 × 6 = 18, and 6 × 3 is the same.

Watch out. The number of bags is the number of groups. The number in each bag is the group size.

Method. Swap the numbers round. The total stays the same.

1. Work out the first fact: 3 × 5. This tells us the total.
   3 × 5 = 15
2. Swap the two numbers round. The order of the numbers in a multiplication does not change the answer.
   5 × 3 = 15
3. Write the missing number. It is the number that moved to the front.
   5

Check. Check: 3 × 5 and 5 × 3 are both 15.

Watch out. Multiplication works in any order, but division does not: 12 ÷ 3 is not the same as 3 ÷ 12.

Method. Multiply the number of groups by the number in each group.

1. Write 5 groups of 4 as a multiplication. Each bag holds the same number.
   5 × 4
2. Count in 4s, 5 times. Each count is one bag.
   4, 8, 12, 16, 20
3. Write the answer. This is the total altogether.
   20

Check. Check: 4 × 5 = 20, and 5 × 4 is the same.

Watch out. The number of bags is the number of groups. The number in each bag is the group size.

Method. Multiply the number of groups by the number in each group.

1. Write 8 groups of 3 as a multiplication. Each bag holds the same number.
   8 × 3
2. Count in 3s, 8 times. Each count is one bag.
   3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24
3. Write the answer. This is the total altogether.
   24

Check. Check: 3 × 8 = 24, and 8 × 3 is the same.

Watch out. The number of bags is the number of groups. The number in each bag is the group size.

Method. Swap the numbers round. The total stays the same.

1. Work out the first fact: 4 × 7. This tells us the total.
   4 × 7 = 28
2. Swap the two numbers round. The order of the numbers in a multiplication does not change the answer.
   7 × 4 = 28
3. Write the missing number. It is the number that moved to the front.
   7

Check. Check: 4 × 7 and 7 × 4 are both 28.

Watch out. Multiplication works in any order, but division does not: 12 ÷ 3 is not the same as 3 ÷ 12.

Method. Swap the numbers round. The total stays the same.

1. Work out the first fact: 4 × 10. This tells us the total.
   4 × 10 = 40
2. Swap the two numbers round. The order of the numbers in a multiplication does not change the answer.
   10 × 4 = 40
3. Write the missing number. It is the number that moved to the front.
   10

Check. Check: 4 × 10 and 10 × 4 are both 40.

Watch out. Multiplication works in any order, but division does not: 12 ÷ 3 is not the same as 3 ÷ 12.

Method. Multiply the number of groups by the number in each group.

1. Write 9 groups of 3 as a multiplication. Each bag holds the same number.
   9 × 3
2. Count in 3s, 9 times. Each count is one bag.
   3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27
3. Write the answer. This is the total altogether.
   27

Check. Check: 3 × 9 = 27, and 9 × 3 is the same.

Watch out. The number of bags is the number of groups. The number in each bag is the group size.

Method. Swap the numbers round. The total stays the same.

1. Work out the first fact: 4 × 2. This tells us the total.
   4 × 2 = 8
2. Swap the two numbers round. The order of the numbers in a multiplication does not change the answer.
   2 × 4 = 8
3. Write the missing number. It is the number that moved to the front.
   2

Check. Check: 4 × 2 and 2 × 4 are both 8.

Watch out. Multiplication works in any order, but division does not: 12 ÷ 3 is not the same as 3 ÷ 12.

Method. Multiply the number of groups by the number in each group.

1. Write 3 groups of 4 as a multiplication. Each bag holds the same number.
   3 × 4
2. Count in 4s, 3 times. Each count is one bag.
   4, 8, 12
3. Write the answer. This is the total altogether.
   12

Check. Check: 4 × 3 = 12, and 3 × 4 is the same.

Watch out. The number of bags is the number of groups. The number in each bag is the group size.

Method. Swap the numbers round. The total stays the same.

1. Work out the first fact: 3 × 7. This tells us the total.
   3 × 7 = 21
2. Swap the two numbers round. The order of the numbers in a multiplication does not change the answer.
   7 × 3 = 21
3. Write the missing number. It is the number that moved to the front.
   7

Check. Check: 3 × 7 and 7 × 3 are both 21.

Watch out. Multiplication works in any order, but division does not: 12 ÷ 3 is not the same as 3 ÷ 12.

Method. Swap the numbers round. The total stays the same.

1. Work out the first fact: 3 × 4. This tells us the total.
   3 × 4 = 12
2. Swap the two numbers round. The order of the numbers in a multiplication does not change the answer.
   4 × 3 = 12
3. Write the missing number. It is the number that moved to the front.
   4

Check. Check: 3 × 4 and 4 × 3 are both 12.

Watch out. Multiplication works in any order, but division does not: 12 ÷ 3 is not the same as 3 ÷ 12.

Method. Swap the numbers round. The total stays the same.

1. Work out the first fact: 4 × 5. This tells us the total.
   4 × 5 = 20
2. Swap the two numbers round. The order of the numbers in a multiplication does not change the answer.
   5 × 4 = 20
3. Write the missing number. It is the number that moved to the front.
   5

Check. Check: 4 × 5 and 5 × 4 are both 20.

Watch out. Multiplication works in any order, but division does not: 12 ÷ 3 is not the same as 3 ÷ 12.