MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION

The trick at being able to work out multiplication and division is by first of all know your times tables. This is the key to solve the mystery! So, before attempting at trying to understand anything - learn your times tables well!!!!

Multiplication

Do you remember when we did place value - HTU? Well, if you keep those in mind you will be able to work out your multiplication. Let's take a look at the following example: 

23 x 4 --> 20 x 4 = (2 x 4 = 8, then add a 0) 80
                 3 x 4 = 12
                                                             So, 80 + 12 = 92

Division

Division is all about sharing. Remember the method we used in class, where we drew balls for every division? It is a good way of understanding what is going on and getting the answer right. Take a look at this example: 

10 ÷ 2
This means that we have to divide (share) 10 things between 2 persons. So, this is what we do:

Step 1: Draw circles representing the first number (in red)
O O O O O O O O O O

Step 2: Start dividing them into groups of the second number (in blue)
O O O O O O O O O O 

Step 3: Now count how many different groups you have and that will be the answer
O O = 1     O O = 2     O O = 3      O O = 4      O O = 5
So, 10 ÷ 2 = 5

For those of you who know their times tables very well there is another way of working this out: 

10 ÷ 2 = You use the 2 times table to get the result of 10. You will find that 5 x 2 = 10. That means that the answer is 5. 

Remainder

Sometimes we have division work to do which involves remainder. It is worked out in the same way I showed above, only that the first number does not fit in exactly into the second number and leaves a remainder. For example: 

15 ÷ 2 

Step 1: We draw 15 circles (first number)
O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

Step 2: We group the circle using the second number (2)
O O = 1  O O = 2  O O = 3  O O = 4  O O = 5  O O = 6 
O O = 7  O

As you can see we are left with one circle (underlined) which does not have a partner to stay with. That circle left out on its own  is what we call the remainder. So, 

15 ÷ 2 = 7 r 1