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Lattice Multiplication: About This Article

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190 views4 pages

Lattice Multiplication: About This Article

matematik

Uploaded by

ZaraIrisArissa
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Search by Standard Advanced Search K-12 Teaching and

Learning From the UNC School of Education

Lattice multiplication
Lattice multiplication is a method of multiplying large numbers using a grid. This method breaks
the multiplication process into smaller steps, which some students find easier. Digits to be carried
are written within the grid, making them harder to miss.
By David Walbert

About this article


This article was adapted from a presentation at the 2005 conference of the North Carolina Council
of Teachers of Mathematics by Vicki Thomas, a fifth-grade math and social studies teacher at River
Dell Elementary in Johnston County, North Carolina.

Learn more
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concept of tallying.

Related topics
Learn more about algorithms, arithmetic, graphic organizers, lattice multiplication,
mathematics, and multiplication.

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separately; see captions for more information and read the fine print.

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Lattice multiplication is a method of multiplying large numbers using a grid. It is algorithmically
equivalent to regular long multiplication, but the lattice method breaks the multiplication process
into smaller steps, which some students find easier. Digits to be carried are written within the grid,
making them harder to miss.

Multiplying on a lattice
After the lattice is constructed, a round of multiplication is followed by a round of addition, much
as in traditional multiplication of large numbers.

Setting up the lattice


First, draw a grid that has as many rows and columns as the multiplicand and the multiplier. The
grid shown here is for multiplying a 4-digit number by a 3-digit number.
Next, draw a diagonal through each box from upper right corner to lower left corner. Continue the
line a short way past the grid. (Ms. Thomas describes the process to her students as corner to
corner and out the door.)
Write one factor across the top and the other down the right side, lining up the digits with the boxes.

Multiplication
The multiplication is performed by multiplying the digits at the head of each row and column. Fill
in each square of the grid with the product of the digits above and to its right, recording the products
so that the tens are in the upper (diagonal) half of the square and the ones are in the lower half. If
the product does not have a tens digit, record a zero in that triangle.
In the example shown here, the highlighted row and column give us 15=5, so we write 0 in the
upper half of the square and 5 in the lower half.

Addition
Now add the numbers in the grid along the diagonals, starting from the lower right corner. (Ms.
Thomas describes this step to her students as ride the slide.) Carry any tens into the top of the
next diagonal.
In this example, the highlighted diagonal gives us 4+2+5+1=12, so we write 2 at the bottom of the

diagonal and carry the 1 to the top of the next diagonal to the left.
To find the answer, read the digits starting down the left of the grid and continuing across the
bottom. Here, the answer to 2314157 is 363,298.

Lattice multiplication of decimals


Lattice multiplication can easily be extended to multiply decimal fractions. Suppose, instead of the
above problem, we wanted to multiply 2.314 by 1.57. We would proceed as before, but draw lines
from the decimal points down and to the left until they meet, then follow the diagonal to the left or
bottom of the grid. The point where this diagonal emerges from the grid is the position of the
decimal point in the answer.
Here, the result of the multiplication is 2.314 1.57 = 3.63298.

Creating a lattice in Microsoft Word


Although most students can draw lattices accurately by hand, some may have difficulty. Printed
lattices may also be helpful when students are first learning the process.

Drawing the lattice


1. Use a large font, such as 24-point.
2. On the top toolbar, click on Table and then select Draw Table. This will open the Tables and
Borders toolbar.
3. Click on Insert Table. Select the desired number of columns and rows (one more each way
than the number of digits you plan to multiply). Set table height to 0.5. Select Finish.
4. Click on Draw Table on the Tables and Borders toolbar. Use the pencil cursor and left mouse
button to draw diagonal lines.
5. Highlight the outside left row. Use the Border button to remove the outside border and
horizontal lines. Repeat with the bottom row to remove the outside border and vertical lines.

Manipulating the lattice


Copying. To copy a table, select the entire table, right click, and select Copy. Move the cursor to
another part of the page, right click, and select Paste.
Moving. To place tables side by side, rest the cursor on the upper-left corner of the table until the
table move handle appears. Right click and drag the table using this handle.
Enlarging. Rows and columns can be inserted to increase lattice size. Click on Table, then Insert,
and choose either rows or columns.

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