Maths Scribe! Writing Multiplication Statements Like a Pro!

Hello Multiplication Experts! You’ve been working hard learning your times tables, like the 3s, 4s, and 8s. That’s fantastic! Now, we’re going to learn how to be a “Maths Scribe” and write down these multiplication facts as proper mathematical statements or equations. It’s like learning the special secret code that mathematicians use!

What’s in a Multiplication Statement? Let’s Break it Down!

A mathematical statement for multiplication has a few important parts:

• Factors: These are the numbers you are multiplying together. For example, in 3 × 4, the numbers 3 and 4 are the factors.
• The Multiplication Sign (×): This little cross tells us we need to multiply! It means “groups of,” “lots of,” “times,” or “multiplied by.”
• The Equals Sign (=): This sign means “is the same as” or “results in.” It shows that what’s on one side of the sign has the same value as what’s on the other side.
• The Product: This is the answer you get when you multiply the factors together. In 3 × 4 = 12, the number 12 is the product.

So, a full statement looks like this: Factor × Factor = Product

Turning “Groups Of” into a Statement You already understand “groups of” from your times tables. Let’s turn that into a maths statement! If you have 4 groups of 3 apples:

• We can write this as the multiplication statement: 4 × 3 = 12 This means “4 times 3 equals 12” or “4 groups of 3 make 12.”

Using Your Known Times Tables Every fact you know from your times tables can be written as a mathematical statement!

• If you know from your 3 times table that 7 lots of 3 is 21, the statement is: 7 × 3 = 21
• If you know from your 4 times table that 6 multiplied by 4 is 24, the statement is: 6 × 4 = 24
• If you know from your 8 times table that 5 times 8 is 40, the statement is: 5 × 8 = 40

Remember an Important Multiplication Rule! Multiplication is commutative, which means you can swap the factors around and the product stays the same! So, if 4 × 3 = 12, then 3 × 4 = 12 also! This means you can write two multiplication statements for most sets of three numbers in a fact family.

Become a Multiplication Statement Writer! (18 Challenges)

Ready to practice writing these special maths sentences? For each challenge below, you might be given some information (like “5 groups of 4”) or part of a times table fact, and your job is to write the full, correct mathematical statement for multiplication!

*(Your web app with the 18 questions will go here. Questions could involve:

• “Write the multiplication statement for 6 groups of 3.”
• “Complete the statement: 7 × 4 = ?”
• “Write a multiplication statement that has an answer of 16 from the 4 times table.”
• “Show ‘5 times 8’ as a maths equation.”)*

Why is Writing Multiplication Statements So Useful?

• It’s the Language of Maths: This is how mathematicians write down multiplication ideas clearly.
• Shows Your Understanding: It proves you know what multiplication means and how the numbers connect.
• Helps You Be Accurate: Writing it down correctly helps you think clearly about the factors and the product.
• Prepares You for Bigger Maths: This is the foundation for writing more complex equations later on, like in algebra!

Tips for Grown-Ups: Helping Write Multiplication Statements

Helping children translate their conceptual understanding of multiplication (as “groups of,” repeated addition, or arrays) into formal mathematical statements (equations) is an important step.

• Link to Concrete “Groups Of”: Start with physical groups. “Here are 3 groups of 4 counters. How can we write that as a multiplication statement? (3 × 4 = 12).”
• Explain the Symbols Clearly: Ensure they understand what ‘×’ (multiply, groups of, times) and ‘=’ (equals, is the same as) mean.
• Practice with Known Times Tables: Regularly ask them to write down facts they are learning from their times tables as full statements.
• Use Arrays: Show an array (e.g., 5 rows of 3 dots) and ask them to write the two multiplication statements it shows (5 × 3 = 15 and 3 × 5 = 15).
• Connect to Repeated Addition (Initially): Show that 4 + 4 + 4 is the same as 3 × 4. Then, help them write the multiplication statement.
• Fact Family Focus: When they write a multiplication statement like 6 × 4 = 24, ask them, “What’s the other multiplication statement in this fact family?” (4 × 6 = 24).