📘 What's inside:
Concept 1 — What is Multiplication?
```Multiplication is a fast way of adding the same number again and again. Instead of adding equal groups one by one, we use multiplication to find the total in one step.
Multiplication in real life:
Each child gets 3 pencils. There are 4 children. How many pencils in total? → 3 × 4 = 12 A box has 5 chocolates. There are 6 boxes. Total chocolates? → 5 × 6 = 30 A wheel has 4 spokes. A bicycle has 2 wheels. Total spokes? → 4 × 2 = 8- We add the same number a certain number of times.
- The numbers we multiply are called factors.
- The answer is called the product.
- Multiplication is a shortcut for repeated addition.
Multiplication means adding equal groups. If the groups are not equal, we cannot use multiplication directly. For example, 3 + 3 + 3 = 3 × 3, but 3 + 4 + 5 cannot be written as a single multiplication.
- 1Each bag has 4 apples. There are 3 bags.
- 2Repeated addition: 4 + 4 + 4 = 12.
- 3Write as multiplication: 4 × 3 = 12.
- 1Each child has 2 hands. There are 5 children.
- 2Repeated addition: 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 10.
- 3Multiplication: 2 × 5 = 10.
✍ Practice — Concept 1
Multiplication: 6 × 3 = 18
There are 18 eggs in all.
(b) 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 — the same number (4) is added 4 times. This is multiplication: 4 × 4 = 16.
Answer: (b)
Multiplication: 8 × 4 = 32
There are 32 legs in total.
Concept 2 — The × and = Symbols
```Multiplication uses special symbols to write the operation quickly and clearly.
- × is read as “multiplied by”, “times”, or “groups of”.
- 3 × 4 can be read as: 3 times 4, or 3 multiplied by 4, or 3 groups of 4.
- = means both sides have the same value.
- The × symbol is also written as a dot (3 · 4) in higher classes, but at this level we always use ×.
- 15 is the first factor — the size of each group.
- 2× means “multiplied by” or “times”.
- 33 is the second factor — the number of groups.
- 4= means “equals” or “gives”.
- 515 is the product — the total.
✍ Practice — Concept 2
Meaning: 7 added 2 times gives 14. (7 + 7 = 14)
(b) 6 × 2 = 12
Concept 3 — The Multiplication Sentence
```When we write a multiplication using numbers and symbols, it is called a multiplication sentence. Every multiplication sentence has three parts.
- Factor — each number being multiplied. There are two factors.
- Product — the answer; the total when groups are combined.
- Structure: Factor × Factor = Product
- The first factor often tells the size of each group; the second factor tells the number of groups.
- 1Factor 1: 3 (biscuits per plate).
- 2Factor 2: 5 (number of plates).
- 3Product: 15 (total biscuits).
✍ Practice — Concept 3
Multiplication sentence: 5 × 4 = 20
(b) 9 × 2 = 18 (9+9)
(c) 5 × 5 = 25 (5+5+5+5+5)
Concept 4 — Multiplication as Repeated Addition
```Every multiplication fact can be written as a repeated addition. Understanding this connection is the key to learning multiplication tables later.
- Repeated addition → multiplication: Count how many times the number repeats → that is the second factor.
- Multiplication → repeated addition: Write the first factor the number of times shown by the second factor.
- Example: 5 + 5 + 5 = 5 × 3 = 15
- Example: 6 × 4 = 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 24
- 1The number being repeated is 7 → first factor.
- 2It appears 3 times → second factor.
- 3Multiplication sentence: 7 × 3 = 21.
- 19 × 4 means: add 9 a total of 4 times.
- 2Repeated addition: 9 + 9 + 9 + 9.
- 3Add step by step: 9 + 9 = 18, 18 + 9 = 27, 27 + 9 = 36.
✍ Practice — Concept 4
6 × 4 = 24
8 + 8 + 8 = 24
Product = 24
(b) 4 + 4 + 4 = 4 × 3 = 12
3 is added 4 times, so: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 3 × 4 = 12. ✓
Concept 5 — Properties of Multiplication
```Multiplication has some very useful properties that make calculations easier. Learning these now will help greatly with multiplication tables.
7 × 1 = 7
1 × 9 = 9
1 group of anything = that thing itself.
8 × 0 = 0
0 × 5 = 0
0 groups of anything = nothing.
3 × 4 = 4 × 3 = 12
6 × 2 = 2 × 6 = 12
Order does not matter in multiplication.
6 × 2 = 12 (double 6)
9 × 2 = 18 (double 9)
Multiply by 2 = add the number to itself.
- 13 × 5 = 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 15.
- 25 × 3 = 5 + 5 + 5 = 15.
- 3Both give 15. The product is the same even when the order of factors is swapped.
✍ Practice — Concept 5
(b) 9 × 1 = 9 (multiply by one)
(c) 4 × 2 = 8 (double 4)
Both equal 21. This is the Commutative Property.
Concept 6 — Multiplication on a Number Line
```Just like addition uses forward jumps on a number line, multiplication uses equal forward jumps. Each jump is the same size (the first factor), and we make as many jumps as the second factor tells us.
- Start at 0.
- Make equal jumps to the right, each of size equal to the first factor.
- Make as many jumps as the second factor.
- The number you land on is the product.
- 1Start at 0.
- 2Jump 3 steps forward, 4 times: 0→3→6→9→12.
- 3Land on 12. That is the product.
- 1Start at 0. Jump 5 steps, 3 times.
- 20 → 5 → 10 → 15.
✍ Practice — Concept 6
2 × 4 = 8
6 × 2 = 12
- Multiplication is a shortcut for repeated addition of equal groups.
- The numbers being multiplied are called factors. The answer is the product.
- Structure: Factor × Factor = Product.
- Any number × 0 = 0. Any number × 1 = that number.
- Multiplication is commutative — swapping the factors does not change the product. (3 × 4 = 4 × 3)
- Multiplying by 2 = doubling the number.
- On a number line, multiplication means making equal jumps to the right starting from 0.
Exam Style — Class 2
6 Questions on What is Multiplication
In words: “Nine times three equals twenty-seven.”
Multiplication: 5 × 6 = 30
Repeated addition check: 5+5=10, 10+5=15, 15+5=20, 20+5=25, 25+5=30. ✓
(b) 7 × 1 = 7 (multiply by one)
(c) 4 × 3 = 3 × 4 (commutative property)
Multiplication sentence: 3 × 8 = 24
There are 24 wheels in total.
Multiplication sentence: 4 × 3 = 12
2 × 8 = 2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2 = 16
8 × 2 = 8+8 = 16
Both give 16. This is the Commutative Property of multiplication — the order of factors does not change the product.
Practise repeated addition, multiplication sentences, properties, and number lines with our free printable worksheet for Class 2. No login required.
► Open Free Worksheet