The Times Sign: What Multiplication Means

🎯 What You'll Learn

You will learn to read and use the multiplication sign (×) and understand multiplication vocabulary.

🏪 Market Story

Funke's teacher writes on the board: 3 × 4 = 12. She explains: "The × sign means 'times' or 'multiplied by.' So 3 × 4 means 3 times 4, which is 12." Funke now knows that when she sees ×, she needs to multiply!

📝 Let's Learn

The × sign is called the multiplication sign or times sign.

Ways to read 3 × 4 = 12:

• "3 times 4 equals 12"
• "3 multiplied by 4 equals 12"
• "3 groups of 4 equals 12"

The numbers we multiply are called factors. The answer is called the product.

In 3 × 4 = 12: 3 and 4 are factors, 12 is the product.

Example 1: 5 × 2 = 10. Read: "5 times 2 equals 10." Factors: 5 and 2. Product: 10.

Example 2: 6 × 3 = 18. Read: "6 multiplied by 3 equals 18."

Example 3: 2 × 9 = 18. Notice that 6 × 3 and 2 × 9 have the same product! Different factors can give the same product.

✏️ Practice Questions

1. Read this aloud: 7 × 3 = 21. What are the factors? What is the product?
2. What is 4 × 5? Name the factors and the product.
3. True or false: 3 × 4 gives the same answer as 4 × 3?

Click to see answers

1. "7 times 3 equals 21." Factors: 7 and 3. Product: 21.
2. 4 × 5 = 20. Factors: 4 and 5. Product: 20.
3. True! 3 × 4 = 12 and 4 × 3 = 12. Order doesn't matter in multiplication (this is called the commutative property).

💡 Remember

The × sign means multiply. The numbers you multiply are factors, and the answer is the product. Just like with addition, the order doesn't matter: 3 × 4 = 4 × 3!