Multiplying has a really clear system. This makes it relatively easy to teach.

• Multiplying by zero.
  Multiplying zero is always zero. An exaggerated example often helps to illustrate the point: zero times a trillion is zero.
• Multiplying by one.
  One times a number is the number . Again use exaggeration: One times a zillion is a zillion.
• Multiplying by two.
  Times two is just a double. eg. 4 × 2 = 4 + 4 = 8
• Multiplying by four.
  Times four is a double plus a double. eg. 4 × 4 = 8 + 8 = 16
• Multiplying by five.
  Times five is best done by just counting by fives. I tell my older students there are four times that I allow them to use their fingers -- 1) times five, 2) times nine, 3) divided by five, and 4) divided by five.
• Multiplying by nine.
  Nine is such a magical number, kids love it. Lay your hands on the desk, fold under a finger. The number of fingers on each side of the folded finger is the answer to times nine.
  eg. 9 × 6. Fold under the sixth finger, the fingers left of the folded finger is the first number = 5, the fingers right of the folded finger is the last number = 4 so the answer to 9 × 6 = 54.
• Multiplying by three.
  Times three is just a double plus the number. eg. 8 × 3 = (8+8) + 8= 16 + 8 = 24
• Multiplying by eight.
  Times eight is times four plus times four. eg. 8 × 8 = (8×4) + (8×4) =32 + 32 = 64
• Multiplying by six.
  Times six is a double plus a double plus a double.
  eg. 8 × 6 = (8+8) + (8+8) + (8+8) = 16 + 16 + 16 = 48
  or times five plus the number. eg. 8 × 6 = (8×5) + 8 = 40 + 8 = 48
• Teach the rest.
  7 × 7. This is all that is left and can best be done by using times five plus a double,
  or (7×5) + (7+7) = 35 + 14 = 49.

See our Teaching Resources for Math for multiplication worksheets, lesson plans, etc.

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