Unit 5 Multiplication and division

Prior learning and experience

Learners know how to write number sentences for multiplication, using × and = symbols. They know
how to write number sentences for division, using ÷ and = symbols. Learners can use arrays to show
multiplication and show multiplication as repeated addition. Learners can recall and use multiplication
facts for the 1, 2, 5 and 10 times tables.

Objectives overview
Learning objectives Objective LB page WB page TG page
code
Understand and explain the relationship between 3Ni.05 43–44 24–25 58–59
multiplication and division.
Understand and explain the commutative and 3Ni.06 43–44; 24–25; 58–59;
distributive properties of multiplication, and use these to 47–48; 26; 62–64;
simplify calculations. 49–51; 26–27; 64–66;
52–54 27–28 67–69
Know 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 times tables. 3Ni.07 47–48; 26; 62–64;
49–51 26–27 64–66
Recognise multiples of 2, 5 and 10 (up to 1000). 3Ni.10 45–46 25 60–62
These learning objectives are reproduced from the Cambridge Primary Mathematics curriculum framework (0096) from 2020.
This Cambridge International copyright material is reproduced under licence and remains the intellectual property of
Cambridge Assessment International Education.

Cambridge Global Perspectives™ LB page TG page

Can we use less? How can we use less? And How are reducing, reusing and 49 64–65
recycling good for the environment?

TWM focus
The Thinking and Working Mathematically (TWM) focus for this unit is ‘improving’. Learners consider
different methods and representations of multiplication and division: they refine and improve their
workings.

Pre-assessment
Practise doubling different 1-digit and 2-digit numbers. Revisit decomposing 2-digit numbers into 10s and
1s, doubling each part before recombining. Can learners fluently recall doubling facts to double 10?
Can they use these to help them double multiples of 10? For example, relating double 3 ones to double
3 tens? Practise doubling 10s numbers, for example: double 12.
  10  2
double
20 + 4 = 24

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Unit 5 Multiplication and division

The relationship between multiplication and division

Learner’s Book pages 43–44 Learning Outcomes
Workbook pages 24–25 • Understand and explain the relationship
between multiplication and division.
Maths tools: cubes, counters, • Understand and explain the commutative
squared paper and distributive properties of multiplication,
and use these to simplify calculations.
Online resources: Explore image,
Template 22: Squared paper, ESL My Maths
Bilingual Dictionary: Multiplication and division, Answers

Maths words: multiplication, division, inverse, array

Starter activity suggestions

• Look at Explore on page 43 of the Learner’s Book. If possible, also show a large front-of-class version of
this Explore image (available in boost-learning.com). Talk about how the picture shows objects arranged
in groups. Look at the chest of drawers. There are two drawers in each row, so we could count them in 2s,
rather than one by one.
• Ask: Which other pictures of objects could we count in 2s? The cars could be three groups of two.
• Look at the egg box. The eggs have been lined up in rows. Ask: How many eggs are there in each row?
How many rows are there? There are two groups of three eggs. Show learners how you can count in 3s to
work out the total. This is quicker than counting them one by one.
• Ask: What do you notice about the total number of cars and the total number of eggs? Can you write a
multiplication sentence to match the two pictures? 2 × 3 = 6 and 3 × 2 = 6. Ask: Do you think we can also
write the number sentence, 2 × 3 = 3 × 2? Why?
• Point out the chocolate box and the paint tray. Ask: What is the same? In both, there are rows and
columns. Ask: How many are in each row? How many are in each column? Can we write multiplication
sentences to match? How can we write a sentence to show that the totals are the same?
(3 × 5 = 5 × 3)

Activity notes

Page 43: Learn

• Look at the Learn activity on page 43 of the Learner’s Book. Work through the example, reminding
learners about the connection between repeated addition and multiplication.
• Talk about the different multiplication sentences that can be made for the paint tray. Can learners
explain why we can also write 5 × 3 = 15 to match the array? Listen for learners who connect this to
5 + 5 + 5 and 3 groups of 5.
• Establish that, like addition, multiplication is commutative, so we can carry out the calculation in any
order and the result will stay the same.
• Sketch an array to match the paint tray on the board and talk about how it can be used to find the
related division facts, 15 ÷ 5 = 3 and 15 ÷ 3 = 5.
• Ask: Do you think we will be able to write the same two multiplication facts and the same two division
facts for the chocolate box? Why?

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 Unit 5 Multiplication and division

• Finally look at the illustration used to show that multiplication and division are inverse operations.
5 is made 3 times bigger to total 15. Then 15 is made 3 times smaller to total 5 again. Establish that
the division has ‘undone’ the multiplication. Do you think we can also start with a division and then use
multiplication to undo it? Ask learners to try out a few examples, for example, 10 ÷ 2 and then 5 × 2;
20 ÷ 10 and 2 × 10.
• Ask: What other operations ‘undo’ each other and so are inverses?
Page 44: Practise
1 Learners could sketch arrays on squared paper to help them. Provide learners with copies of Template 22:
Squared paper (in boost-learning.com). Challenge them to write the matching multiplication sentences.
2 Some of the numbers go beyond learners’ known facts. Remind them that the numbers in the count of 5
from zero are also the numbers in the multiplication table of 5, so we can carry on counting in 5s past 50
to see how many rows of 5 can be made.
3 In these word problems, learners apply the inverse. Encourage them to sketch the problems or use cubes
to represent them.
Page 44: Try this
Learners engage in the TWM skills of ‘critiquing’ and ‘improving’ the multiplication and division sentences
that Jack has written to match the given array. Ask: Which two arrays is Jack confusing? How would you
help Jack so he does not make this mistake again? Can learners explain the mistakes that Jack has made?

Further activities
Ask learners to complete Workbook pages 24 and 25. All answers are in the online resources in boost-learning.com.

Assessment ideas
• Ask learners to use cubes or counters to make groups. They may choose to have individual groups, or
to make an array. They should challenge each other to write multiplication and division sentences to
match each arrangement.
• Practise ‘undoing’ some multiplication and divisions by playing, ‘I am thinking of a number’ type
games. For example: I am thinking of a number and I multiply it by 5. My new number is 30. What
number was I thinking about?

Success criteria

While completing the activities, assess and record learners.

Learners can write matching multiplication and division sentences for an array.
Learners can use knowledge of the inverse to ‘undo’ a multiplication or division.
Learners can describe an array in different ways using repeated addition and multiplication.
Learners can explain why multiplication can be carried out in any order.

Differentiation
• Challenge learners to create their own ‘I’m thinking of a number’ puzzles for a partner to solve.
They should start with a multiplication or a division sentence so that the same inverse operation is not
always applied.
• Some learners may make this common mistake: 5 ÷ 15 = 3. Explain that 15 is the total group and the
divide symbol represents how the total is grouped or shared.
• Encourage ESL learners to work with English first-language learners to work on words in the ESL My
Maths Bilingual Dictionary: Multiplication and division (in boost-learning.com).

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Unit 5 Multiplication and division

Multiples of 2, 5 and 10
Learner’s Book pages 45–46 Learning Outcome
Workbook page 25 • Recognise multiples of 2, 5 and 10 (up to 1000).

Maths tools: cubes, counters, any set of 20 cards

Online resources: Explore image, Template 11: Blank Venn diagram, Template 12: Blank Carroll
diagram, Answers

Maths word: multiple

Starter activity suggestions

• Look at Explore on page 45 of the Learner’s Book. If possible, also show a large front-of-class version
of this Explore image (available in boost-learning.com). Talk about the different methods to count the
number of cards in each set. There are four rows of five in the first group, and 10 rows of two in the
second. Can learners give the matching multiplication sentences? What do they notice?
• Explain that a group of 20 cards will be used in a game and they need to be shared equally between the
players. One popular way of doing this is to ‘deal’ the cards, giving one to each player. However, if there
are 3 players for the group of 20 cards, 1 person will have 1 less card than everyone else.
• Give learners time to explore the different ways that the first set of cards can be used so that each player
has the same number of cards. Learners can use cubes as support. Look for learners who immediately
recognise that 4 players and 5 players must be able to share the cards equally because we can see equal
rows of 5 and equal columns of 4 in the array.
• Establish that 2 players and 10 players can have an equal number of cards. 20 players could also have
1 card each or 1 player could have all 20 cards but the game may not be much fun!
• Now look at the second set of cards. Ask: Do we need to work out how many players can have an equal
number of cards when they play with this set? (No) Why not? (We know that there are also 20 cards here
because 10 × 2 = 20 so the solutions are the same.)
• Finally challenge learners to think about a game using all 40 cards. Ask: What do you notice? (1, 2, 4, 5,
10 and 20 players can each still have an equal number of cards because there are two sets of 20.) Ask:
How many cards will they each have this time? How do you know? (Double the number because there are
double the number of cards in total.) Can a different number of players also play this time? (8 or 40)

Activity notes

Page 46: Learn

• Look at the number line in Learn on page 46 of the Learner’s Book. Ask: How many steps of 2 are in 20?
Relate this back to the 10 lots of 2 playing cards in Explore and the counting to check the total number.
• Establish that we can count to 20 in 2s from 0. Ask: What other numbers can we count to in 2s from zero?
28? 31? Introduce the term multiple. Explain that all numbers in the count of 2 from 0 are multiples of 2.
Every multiple of 2 can be grouped in 2s (for example, in an array) and divided into two equal groups.
• Talk about the even numbers that learners know. Ask: Are they also multiples of 2? Why?
• Now challenge learners to think about what the multiples of 5 might be. Ask: What do we know about
them? How can they be arranged in an array? What about multiples of 10?
• Can they explain why 20 is a multiple of 5 and a multiple of 10?
• Refer back to Explore. Ask: If we know that 20 is a multiple of 2, 5 and 10, what can you tell me about 40?
Why?

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 Unit 5 Multiplication and division

Page 46: Practise

1 Learners continue sequences of numbers involving 2s, 5s and 10s. These have been designed to extend
beyond the multiplication facts that they know so they can begin to look for patterns in numbers.
2 Learners engage in the TWM skills of ‘characterising’ and ‘classifying’ numbers according to whether they
are multiples of 2, 5 or 10. Encourage learners to talk about what they notice about the numbers that
belong in each column. Can they explain why some numbers can be written in more than one column?
3 Learners are asked to identify multiples of 2, 5 and 10 from given numbers. Some numbers are larger
than learners have seen before. What do they notice? For example, all multiples of 2 are even, multiples
of 5 have a 0 or 5 in the 1s position, multiples of 10 are 10s numbers. Do learners notice that multiples
of 10 are also multiples of 5? Can they explain why? (There are 2 fives in every 10.) The number 300 may
be tricky for some learners who are only looking for a zero in the 1s position. Remind learners that there
are 10 tens in every 100. Can they explain why some numbers are left over?
Page 46: Let’s talk
Learners engage in the TWM skills of ‘generalising’ and ‘convincing’ by testing statements that Maris and
Annay have made. Can learners explain who is correct and why? Can they represent their ideas using arrays
or practical resources? Look for learners who explain that all multiples of 10 are multiples of 5 because
there are two 5s in every 10, perhaps showing this pictorially or concretely. Listen for learners who notice
that odd multiples of 5 are not multiples of 10, perhaps explaining that they know that all multiples of 10
have zero in the 1s position.

Further activities
• Ask learners to complete Workbook page 25. All answers are in the online resources in boost-learning.com.
• Draw learners’ attention to the two numbers in Practise question 3 that are not multiples of 2, 5 or 10
(83 and 47). Learners could draw a sack with 3 more of these numbers and fill it with 9 different numbers
that are multiples of 2, 5 or 10. Learners could then swap their number sack with a partner to sort.
Encourage learners to use numbers that are beyond their multiplication tables to fill up another sack of
numbers for a partner to sort. Remember to include examples that are not multiples of 2, 5 or 10.

Assessment ideas
• Use Venn diagrams and Carroll diagrams to sort multiples of 2, 5 or 10. Provide learners with copies
of Template 11: Blank Venn diagram and Template 12: Blank Carroll diagram (in boost-learning.com).
For example, use Multiples of 2 and Multiples of 10 as headings for the sets in a Venn diagram.
• Ask learners to list all the multiples of 5 between 60 and 120. Can they explain why 139 is not a
multiple of 5 but 140 is?
• Ask learners to use practical apparatus or sketches to prove why all multiples of 10 are also multiples
of 2.

Success criteria

While completing the activities, assess and record learners.

Learners can count in 2s from zero beyond the tenth multiple.
Learners can count in 5s from zero beyond the tenth multiple.
Learners can count in 10s from zero beyond the tenth multiple.
Learners can identify multiples of 2, 5 and 10 from a set of numbers.
Learners can explain why all multiples of 2 are even.
Learners can explain why some numbers are multiples of more than one number, for example,
60 is a multiple of 2, 5 and 10.

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Unit 5 Multiplication and division

The multiplication tables of 2, 4 and 8

Learner’s Book Learning Outcomes
pages 47–48
Workbook page 26 • Know 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10-times tables.
• Understand and explain the commutative and distributive
properties of multiplication, and use these to simplify calculations.
Maths tools: cubes

Online resources: Explore image, Answers

Maths word: double

Starter activity suggestions

• Look at Explore on page 47 of the Learner’s Book. If possible, also show a large front-of-class version
of this Explore image (available in boost-learning.com). Talk about the different walls that the children
are building. Ask: What is the same and what is different about them? Look for learners who notice that
the number of rows in each wall is the same but the number of bricks in each row is different. Record
the number of bricks in the row of each wall on the board: 2 bricks, 4 bricks, 8 bricks. Ask: What do you
notice about the number of bricks in each row? Draw out that the second wall has double the number of
bricks in each row as the first wall, and the third wall has double the number of bricks in each row as the
second wall.
• Ask learners to decide if the children have enough bricks to make another wall. Ask: How many will each
of them need?
• Finally explore the total number of bricks in each wall. Do learners notice that the walls look like arrays?
Can they give the total for Viti’s wall without counting all the bricks? Challenge learners to explain how
they can find the total number of bricks in the other walls using what they know about doubles.

Activity notes

Page 47: Learn

• Use cubes to represent the first three rows of multiplication tables of 2 and 4 as shown in the Learn
activity on page 47 of the Learner’s Book. Note that two groups of 2 cubes have been used to help build
the four times table so that the relationship between the multiplications table of 2 and 4 is explicit.
• Talk about what learners notice about the total number of cubes in each row of the tables.
• Can they see that double the number of cubes are used for each row in the 4 times table as in the
2 times table? Can they explain why? (Every 4 is made of 2 2s, so double the number of 2s are needed.)
Read the multiplications as 2 × 1 = 2, so 4 × 1 = 4; 2 × 2 = 4, so 4 × 2 = 8, and so on. Can learners give the
related sentences using commutativity, for example, 1 × 2 = 2, 1 × 4 = 4?
• Move on to the start of the multiplication table of 8. What do learners notice this time? Can they explain
why there are 4 lots of 2 cubes? Do they notice that this line of cubes is double the length of the line of 4
cubes? Establish that the group size has doubled.
• Challenge learners to use cubes to complete the multiplication table of 8 up to 3 × 8. Arrange the cubes
alongside those for the other multiplication tables, so that the connection is clear as they move from row
to row. Make sure learners have noticed that 4 × 1 = 4, so 8 × 1 = 8, 4 × 2 = 8, so 8 × 2 = 16, drawing out
the doubling relationship. Can learners explain why they can also find the multiples of 8 by doubling the
same number of 2s and doubling again? For example, if 2 × 3 = 6, then 8 × 3 is double 6 (12) and then
double again (24).

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 Unit 5 Multiplication and division

Page 48: Practise

1 Learners are asked to use cubes to complete the multiplication tables of 2, 4 and 8 up to 2 × 6, 4 × 6, and
8 × 6 for now. Look at the doubling relationship between the products each time, coming back to the fact
that as the group size has doubled, the total has also doubled.
2 Learners need to draw on their knowledge of the multiplication table of 2 and their skills of doubling to
help them complete the multiplication tables up to 4 × 10 and 8 × 10.
3 This question draws on learners’ understanding of commutativity.
Page 48: Try this
Learners further explore the relationship between a number of 4s and a number of 8s. This time the total
numbers are the same, for example, 4 × 6 and 8 × 3. Can learners show why double the number of fours are
needed? For example, 6 packs of 4 apples have the same number of apples as 3 packs of 8 apples.
Page 48: Let’s talk
Learners are required to engage in the TWM skills of ‘generalising’ and ‘convincing’. They should use
reasoning and draw on facts they have just discovered to help them find missing numbers.
All multiplications are shown as equivalents, for example, 2 × 8 = 4 × £. Can they use the doubling
relationship to help them make decisions? Can they convince their partner of their solutions?
Learners begin to form generalisations as they complete an example with two missing numbers.

Further activities
• Ask learners to complete Workbook page 26. All answers are in the online resources in boost-learning.com.
• Draw an array and complete each multiplication fact for 2 × 6 = £, 4 × 6 = £, 8 × 6 = £ and £ × 4 = 32.
Assessment ideas
• Rehearse the multiplication tables of 2, 4 and 8 using the relationship between them to help make
connections, for example: How can I use 2 × 4 to help me work out 4 × 4?
• Learners could solve more word problems related to the multiplication tables of 2, 4 and 8, for
example: Maris has 3 bags of 4 cookies. How many cookies in 3 bags of 8 cookies?

Success criteria

While completing the activities, assess and record learners.

Learners can recall the multiplication table of 2 up to 2 × 10.
Learners are beginning to recall some of the facts for the multiplication tables of 4 and 8.
Learners can explain the relationship between the same number of 2s and 4s, for example,
2 × 3 and 4 × 3.
Learners can explain the relationship between the same number of 4s and 8s, for example,
4 × 3 and 8 × 3.
Learners can draw on their understanding of commutativity to explain why 8 × 4 = 4 × 8, and so on.

Differentiation
Support learners by counting in 4s and 8s up to 40 and 80, respectively. Ask half of the class
to count in 2s and the other half to count in 4s. Stop at various points and compare the numbers. Repeat
for 4s and 8s.

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Unit 5 Multiplication and division

The multiplication tables of 3, 6 and 9

Learner’s Book pages 49–51 Learning Outcomes
Workbook pages 26–27 • Know 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 times tables.
• Understand and explain the commutative and
distributive properties of multiplication and use these
Maths tools: cubes, calculators to simplify calculations.

Online resources: Explore image, Answers

Maths words: triple, double, add; also commutative

Starter activity suggestions

• Look at Explore on page 49 of the Learner’s Book. If possible, also show a large front-of-class version of
this Explore image (available in boost-learning.com).
• Discuss the information given, that 9 out of 10 empty plastic bottles are thrown away each day. Model
this with 100 interlocking cubes. Ask the learners in groups to put the 100 cubes in columns of 10 and
then take off 1 cube from each column and put to one side. Count the groups of 9 up to 90. Emphasise
that for every 100 bottles thrown away, only 10 are recycled. Show this with the 10 cubes that have been
removed from each column.
• Now talk about the different items for sale in the shop. Ask: What do you notice about the way the
cauliflowers, pineapples and apples are arranged in their sections? (They are in rows of 3.) What do they
look like? (Arrays) How can we use these to find the total number of each without counting?
• Ask learners to write matching multiplication sentences for each section. Record these as 3 × 1 = 3,
3 × 2 = 6 and 3 × 3 = 9. Ask: Which multiplication table are we creating? What do you think comes next?
• Now look at any differences and similarities between the ways the items are arranged on the shelves in
the shop. Ask: Can you also see any equal rows of three? Listen for learners who notice that each shelf to
the left has a row of three items. Look for others who can also see 3s within the rows of six and nine.
• Ask: How many items are on each shelf? Draw out that there are 9 items on each shelf, although on some
of the shelves this is made up of 6 items and 3 items.
• Challenge learners to now find the total number of items on sale in the picture, explaining that you do
not want them to count the items one by one. Look for the strategies that learners use.
• Share ideas before focusing on the number of groups of 9s that can be seen in the picture:
– 4 groups of nine on the shelves to the left
– 2 groups of nine bottles on the shelves to the right
– 1 group of nine apples
– 1 group of nine flowers
– 1 group of nine made up of 3 cauliflowers and 6 pineapples
– 1 group of nine made up of 6 water bottles and 3 sacks of potatoes.
This is a total of 10 groups of nine. Write this as 9 × 10 = ? on the board. Do learners notice that we can
also write this as 10 × 9, which is a fact we know?
• Refer learners to the Cambridge Global PerspectivesTM activity on the following page.

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 Unit 5 Multiplication and division

Cambridge Global Perspectives™

Can we use less?
Explore: How can we use less?
And How are reducing, reusing and recycling good for the environment?
• Ask learners to look at the picture of the shop and talk in pairs about what they can interpret or
work out from the picture. Ask: How many products are packaged in plastic? (They should reply: cool
drink/soda in the orange plastic bottles (×8), 5-litre bottles (×6) of water.) Point out the other forms
of packaging such as paper, cardboard, foil, glass, and so on, and ask learners to discuss what they
already know about recyclable materials and what their attitude towards recycling is. Do they recycle
regularly? Do they think it’s important to recycle? Which products do they think could be packaged in
recyclable material? Encourage learners to talk about their ideas freely and to listen to other ideas and
differences of opinion.
• Discuss the information given underneath the illustration, that 9 out of 10 empty plastic bottles are
thrown away each day. Model this with 100 interlocking cubes. Ask learners, in groups, to put the
100 cubes in columns of 10 and then take away 1 cube from each column and put it aside. Count the
groups of 9 up to 90. Emphasise that for every 100 bottles thrown away, only 10 are recycled. Show
this with the 10 cubes that have been taken away from each column.
• Ask learners to reflect on their own households. How much packaging do they throw away each week?
Some learners may use multiplications to calculate a number. As a class, pose the scenario that if each
learner threw away 1 plastic bottle each day, then a class of 30 might throw away 150 bottles in just
one week (30 × 5). Ask learners to think about and discuss in their groups what the consequences of
throwing away so many bottles might be. Where do the bottles end up? (In landfill)
• Discuss the differences between reducing, reusing and recycling. Reducing means not using as much,
so buying a 5-litre bottle of water requires less plastic than buying five 1-litre bottles. Reusing could be
shoppers bringing their own containers to be refilled (as with glass bottles for a deposit). Encourage
groups to think about what they could do personally to help reduce waste. Also encourage them to make
connections between individual actions for reducing waste on both a national and international level.
• Lastly, ask groups to problem solve waste problems in their local area or within school. Ask: How could you
encourage shoppers to recycle? (For example, by offering a discount or a reward for doing so.) Ask: How
could you reduce the amount of waste in school? (For example: by creating posters that will encourage
learners to recycle, or by making sure that there are recycling bins in the canteen.)

Activity notes

Page 50: Learn

• Use cubes to represent the first three rows of the multiplication tables of 3 and 6 as shown in Learn on
page 50 of the Learner’s Book. Note that two groups of 3 cubes have been used to help build the 6 times
table so that the relationship between the multiplication tables of 3 and 6 is explicit.
• Talk about what learners notice about the total number of cubes in each row of the tables.
• Can they see that double the number of cubes is used for each row in the 6 times table as in the 3 times
table? Can they explain why? (Every six is made of two 3s, so double the number of 3s is needed.) Read
the multiplications as 3 × 1 = 3, so 6 × 1 = 6; 3 × 2 = 6, so 6 × 2 = 12, and so on. Can learners give the
related sentences using commutativity, for example, 3 × 1 = 3, 6 × 1 = 6?
• Move on to the start of the multiplication table of 9. What do learners notice this time? Can they explain
why there are 3 lots of three cubes? Do they notice that this line of cubes is three times (or triple) the
length of the line of 3 cubes? Establish that the group size of three has tripled.
• Challenge learners to use cubes to complete the multiplication table of 9 up to 9 × 3. Arrange the cubes
alongside those for the other multiplication tables, so that the connection is clear as they move from row
to row. Make sure learners have noticed that 3 × 1 = 3, so 9 × 1 = 9, 3 × 2 = 6, so 9 × 2 = 18, drawing out
the tripling relationship.

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Unit 5 Multiplication and division

Pages 50–51: Practise

1 Learners use cubes to complete the times tables of 3, 6 and 9 up to 3 × 6, 6 × 6 and 9 × 6 for now. Look at
the doubling relationship between the products of 3s and 6s in each row. Reinforce that as the group size
doubles, so the total doubles. Also look at the products of 3s and 9s. Again, as the group size triples, so
the total triples. The total of the same number of 3s and 6s should equal the same number of 9s.
2 This question draws on learners’ understanding of commutativity.
3 Learners are asked to complete the multiplication tables up 3 × 10, 6 × 10 and 9 × 10. They need to draw
on strategies to double 2-digit numbers and adapt these to triple 2-digit numbers. Learners may benefit
from using cubes to complete the multiplication table of 3 first. Say that they may also use a calculator
to check doubling and tripling 2-digit numbers, relating this to repeated addition.
Page 51: Try this
Learners explore the multiplication table of 9 and look for patterns. What do they notice? Can they use the
TWM skill of ‘generalising’? What happens when they add the digits of the 2-digit numbers?
Page 51: Let’s talk
Learners work on Maris’s idea to find 9 × 5 by using what she knows about 3 × 5 and 6 × 5. Can learners use
the TWM skill of ‘convincing’ others why they can also find the total of a number of 9s by adding the same
number of 3s and 6s? What can they say or show? Relate this back to the Explore picture, where the rows of
shelves to the left have 6 items and 3 items but make a total of 9 items. Learners test this idea with other
multiplication facts for 9, so forming a ‘generalisation’. Learners are challenged to look for another way to
find multiplication facts for 6 using other times tables they know. Look for learners who notice that they can
use triples, for example, 2 × 4 = 8, so 6 × 4 is triple 8; the total of a number of 2s and the same number of 4s
(2 × 3 + 4 × 3 = 6 × 3); or the total of a number of 5s and the same number of 1s (5 × 3 + 1 × 3 = 6 × 3).

Further activities
Ask learners to complete Workbook pages 26 and 27. Note that in question 1, learners will use the TWM
skills of ‘generalising’ and ‘convincing’. All answers are in boost-learning.com.

Assessment ideas
• Rehearse the multiplication tables of 3, 6 and 9 using the relationship between them to help make
connections, for example: How can I use 3 × 4 to help me work out 6 × 4 and 9 × 4? I know that
3 × 6 = 18 and 6 × 6 = 36. How can I use this to help me find 6 × 9?
• Learners could solve word problems related to the multiplication tables of 3, 6 and 9, for example:
Cartons of apple juice come in packs of 6; cartons of orange juice come in packs of 3. Gran wants to
buy the same number of cartons of each juice. How many packs of each can she buy?

Success criteria

While completing the activities, assess and record learners.

Learners can recall the multiplication table of 3 up to 3 × 10.
Learners are beginning to recall some of the facts for the multiplication tables of 6 and 9.
Learners can explain the relationship between the same number of 3s and 6s, for example, 3 × 2 and
6 × 2.
Learners can explain the relationship between the same number of 3s and 9s, for example,
3 × 4 and 9 × 4.
Learners can draw on their understanding of commutativity to explain why 3 × 8 = 8 × 3, and so on.

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 Unit 5 Multiplication and division

Differentiation
• Give learners the following challenge to work through with a partner:
– Each learner should list (on a small piece of paper) three multiplications that they often forget or get
wrong.
– Then they should swap lists with their partner.
– Learners could test each other three times a day for a week.
– They can give each other clues. They may also swap partners.
– Who is the first to learn all the multiplications?
• To further support learners, practise counting in 3s and 6s up to 30 and 60, respectively. Ask half the
class to count in 3s and the other in 6s, stopping at various points to compare the numbers. Repeat for
3s and 9s.

Multiplying numbers
Learner’s Book Learning Outcome
pages 52–54
Workbook pages 27–28 • Understand and explain the commutative and distributive
properties of multiplication and use these to simplify calculations.

Maths tools: squared paper

Online resources: Explore image, Template 22: Squared paper,

Worksheet 12: Four boxes game, ESL Worksheet 5: Multiplying numbers, Answers

Maths words: decompose, commutative, multiply, array

Starter activity suggestions

• Look at Explore on page 52 of the Learner’s Book. If possible, also show a large front-of-class version
of this Explore image (available in boost-learning.com). Talk about the calculations on the board in the
picture. Ask: How would you solve the calculations? What methods will you use?
• Give learners time to talk through their ideas with a partner before sharing methods as a class.
• Look at the methods suggested by Zara, Annay and David. Ask: Can you work out which calculation each
child is talking about? Do you think they can use their idea for more than one calculation?
• Focus first on Zara’s method of decomposing. Ask: When have we used this method before? (To double
2-digit numbers.) Ask: What number can we decompose to help us? Draw out that 14 × 3 can be
decomposed as 10 × 3 add 4 × 3 to make the calculation easier. How about 15 × 2? Look for learners who
notice that this is the same as doubling 15, as double 10 and double 5 – still using decomposing.
• Discuss Annay and David’s methods, revisiting strategies as required. Be sure to draw out that:
– Annay can use doubles to find double 10 and then double 5 to help double 15. He can also use
doubles for 2 × 7 × 5 and 9 × 2 × 5 because both calculations involve multiplying by two.
– David can reorder 2 × 15 as 15 × 2 to help see the double. He can also reorder 2 × 7 × 5 and
9 × 2 × 5, as multiplication is commutative, so the results will be the same. Ask: Why might he want to
do this? Could it make the calculations easier? Listen for learners suggesting that 2 × 5 = 10 and it is
easy to multiply by 10, for example, 2 × 5 × 7 then calculated as 10 × 7. This will be the focus of the
Learn activity.
• Talk about other calculations that can be solved in similar ways.

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Unit 5 Multiplication and division

Activity notes

Page 52: Learn

• Look at the way that the calculation 2 × 7 × 5 from the Explore activity has been reordered.
Ask: Why do you think that it may be easier to multiply 2 × 5 first?
• Look at the original calculation and say: First we multiply 2 × 7 and then we multiply the answer
14 by 5. Now ask learners to use the same sentence structure to describe the reordered calculation as:
First we multiply 2 × 5 and then we multiply the answer 10 by 7. Which is easier? Why?
• Discuss how 2 × 5 has been grouped. 2×7×5=
We can also keep the original calculation and show the grouping as: 10 × 7 = 70
• Ask: Why might we also have reordered the calculation as 7 × 5 × 2?
Explore the sentence structure together to reveal double 35.
Page 53: Practise
1 Learners use their understanding of commutativity to write related multiplication facts. In part e they
make up their own multiplication fact to use.
2 Learners think about the order of numbers within a multiplication and decide on an easier way to
complete each one. Remind learners to look for facts to make 10 and ways to reveal a double.
Page 53: Let’s talk
Learners are asked to compare the ways they reordered the calculations in Practise question 2. They must
then work together to think of two more multiplications, such as £ × £ × £ where they could be reordered
to make them easier. In doing so, learners are using the TWM skill of ‘specialising’ and beginning to use the
TWM skill of ‘generalising’ about the factors involved. Ask: How would you 'convince' your partner that this
is the best order for the multiplication? What are you looking for to make it easier?
Page 53: Learn
• Now look at the multiplication 13 × 3 in Learn on page 53 of the Learner’s Book. Talk about how the two
arrays, 10 × 3 and 3 × 3, are joined to make the larger array 13 × 3. Suggest that if we can join smaller
arrays to make a larger one, then we can split a larger array to make two (or more) smaller arrays.
• Remind learners that this is similar to the calculations Zara was solving in Explore on page 52 of the
Learner’s Book where she used decomposing to help her make simpler multiplications.
• Can learners explain where they can still see 10 × 3 and 3 × 3 in the larger array? Use the following or
similar questions to guide the discussion further:
– Why is decomposing the array into 10 rows of 3, then 3 rows of 3 helpful when calculating 13 × 3?
– Why is the total of 10 × 3 add 3 × 3 equal to the total of 13 × 3?
– Can we split the array into 9 × 3 and 4 × 3? Will the total still be the same as for 13 × 3?
– Is it easier to calculate 10 × 3 than 9 × 3? Why?
• Look at the way the calculation has been recorded to the side of the array. Ask learners to match each
step of the calculation to the array. This introduces learners to using the distributive law by breaking up
the larger number into place value parts to find partial products.
Page 54: Practise
Note that all examples show 2-digit numbers of less than 20.
1 Learners are asked to interpret 2-digit by 1-digit multiplications shown as arrays. They should record
the calculations using the method shown in Learn to help them find the answers. Again, talk about the
benefit of decomposing into 10 rows and some more rows.
2 Learners must complete abstract calculations. They can use squared paper to sketch matching arrays as
support. Provide learners with copies of Template 22: Squared paper (in boost-learning.com). Talk about
the related fact 5 × 7 to help learners complete 17 × 5 in part d.
3 Learners are asked to apply the method of decomposing to a problem-solving context. They are also
asked to use addition to find the total cost of 30 children taking part in different activities. Challenge
learners to make estimates.

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 Unit 5 Multiplication and division

Page 54: Try this

In this activity, learners engage in the TWM skill of ‘specialising’. Learners should use a method of trial-
and-improve to aim for a target of 100. Learners will have to use reasoning to work out when they are as
close to 100 as is possible. Ask: How many different activities are included in your total? Can you make a
total near to $100 that includes all 5 different activities? Look for learners who find a solution for exactly
$100, for example, 25 children for a $3 activity and 5 children for a $5 activity. Learners may choose to use
repeated addition to help them work with numbers greater than 20.

Further activities
• Ask learners to complete Workbook pages 27 and 28. All answers are in boost-learning.com.
• Provide learners with Worksheet 12: Four boxes game (in boost-learning.com). Check the methods
learners use to multiply the larger numbers. Here, learners engage in the TWM skill of ‘specialising’.
• Encourage ESL learners to complete ESL Worksheet 5: Multiplying numbers (in boost-learning.com) to
help them. They could work with English first-language speakers for support.

Assessment ideas
• Ask learners to complete these and then write the related multiplication facts for each one:
3 × 4 = ? 8 × 5 = ? 9 × 10 = ? 4×6=?
• Ask: Why did I reorder 5 × 8 × 2 as 2 × 5 × 8? Will the answer still be the same if I reorder as 8 × 5 × 2?
Why?
• Sketch an array to match the calculation 16 × 4. Now explain how you will use it to find the answer.
• For assessment of the whole unit, encourage learners to complete:
– first the Quiz questions on Learner’s Book page 55
– then the Self-check page on Workbook page 29.

Success criteria
While completing the activities, assess and record learners.
Success criteria
Learners can explain or show why multiplication can be carried out in any order.
Learners can change the order of a multiplication to make it easier, explaining their choices.
Learners can decompose 2-digit numbers into 10s and 1s.
Learners can interpret an array and say what multiplication it represents.
Learners can multiply 2-digit numbers by 2, 3, 4 or 5 using a mental method.

Differentiation
• Challenge learners to use reasoning before checking the following multiplications each time.
– Which is larger, 14 × 5 or 16 × 4?
– Which is more, $19 × 3 or $14 × 4?
– Which is heavier, 17 kg × 2 or 12 kg × 3?
Can learners make up some examples for a partner to solve?
• Support and encourage learners to sketch arrays on squared paper to support multiplying 2-digit numbers.
Provide learners with copies of Template 22: Squared paper (in boost-learning.com).
• Continue to use the sentence structure: First we multiplied __ by __ and then multiplied the answer __ by
__ to help us make decisions about the order in which to carry out a multiplication with three numbers.

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