Multiplication Statements

A multiplication statement, sometimes called a multiplication number sentence or a multiplication equation, is a short way of writing a multiplication fact using numbers and symbols instead of words. Instead of saying "three groups of four equals twelve," we write it as \( 3 \times 4 = 12 \). This is one of the most useful tools you will use in Math 2, because it lets you record what you see in a group of objects or an array with just a few symbols.

Every multiplication statement follows the same basic pattern: a number, a multiplication sign, another number, an equals sign, and the answer. Learning to read and write this pattern correctly is the main goal of this lesson.

A multiplication statement has three important parts.

• Factors: the two numbers being multiplied. In \( 3 \times 4 = 12 \), the factors are 3 and 4.
• Multiplication sign: the symbol \( \times \) that tells you the operation is multiplication. You can review how this symbol works in understanding the multiplication sign.
• Product: the answer you get after multiplying, shown on the other side of the equals sign. In \( 3 \times 4 = 12 \), the product is 12.

When you read \( 3 \times 4 = 12 \) aloud, you can say "3 times 4 equals 12" or "3 groups of 4 equals 12." Both readings describe the same statement.

Multiplication statements almost always come from a picture or a real situation first. If you see 3 equal groups with 4 items in each group, you can write the statement \( 3 \times 4 = 12 \). The first factor tells you how many groups there are, and the second factor tells you how many items are in each group. For more practice turning pictures into number sentences, see groups and arrays up to 99.

The same idea works for an array, which is a neat arrangement of rows and columns. Look at the array below, which has 3 rows and 4 columns.

Because there are 3 rows of 4 dots, the multiplication statement is \( 3 \times 4 = 12 \). You could also count the dots by adding 4 three times, which connects back to repeated addition as multiplication: \( 4 + 4 + 4 = 12 \).

If you turn the array on its side so it has 4 rows and 3 columns instead, you still get 12 dots, but the statement changes to \( 4 \times 3 = 12 \). Both \( 3 \times 4 = 12 \) and \( 4 \times 3 = 12 \) are correct multiplication statements for the same amount of dots. This is called a turnaround fact, and you can explore it further in turnarounds.

Example 1: A baker arranges muffins into 5 equal groups of 6. Write the multiplication statement.

There are 5 groups with 6 muffins in each group, so the statement is \( 5 \times 6 = 30 \).

Example 2: Fill in the missing product: \( 7 \times 3 = \, ? \)

Skip counting by 3 seven times gives 21, so the completed statement is \( 7 \times 3 = 21 \).

Example 3: A number sentence shows \( \, ? \times 4 = 8 \). What is the missing factor?

Since 2 groups of 4 make 8, the missing factor is 2, giving \( 2 \times 4 = 8 \).

When you are filling in worksheets full of multiplication equations, it always helps to picture the equal groups or the array behind each statement. If you get stuck, go back to skip counting or drawing the array before writing the final number sentence.

Related lessons

• Math 2