Hello friends! Today we're going to learn about multiplication. Multiplication is a super-fast way to add the same number over and over again. Look at these cookies! We have 2 groups of cookies, and each group has 3 cookies. We could count them by adding: 3 plus 3 equals 6 cookies. But multiplication gives us a quicker way to say that! We write it as 2 times 3 equals 6. The times symbol means groups of.
Let's try another example! Imagine you have 4 friends, and each friend has 2 balloons. How many balloons do we have in total? We could add them up: 2 plus 2 plus 2 plus 2 equals 8 balloons. But using multiplication, we can say 4 groups of 2, or 4 times 2 equals 8. This is much faster than adding each group one by one!
Now let's understand what the times symbol really means. The times symbol means groups of, or repeated addition. When we write 3 times 4, we mean 3 groups of 4. Look at these stars! We have 3 groups, and each group has 4 stars. So 3 times 4 equals 12 stars total. The times symbol is just a quick way to show we have equal groups!
Now it's practice time! Let's try solving 5 times 2 together. Remember, this means 5 groups of 2. Look at these apples! We have 5 groups, and each group has 2 apples. Let's count them: group 1 has 2, group 2 has 2, group 3 has 2, group 4 has 2, and group 5 has 2. So 5 times 2 equals 10 apples! Great job practicing multiplication!
Congratulations! You now understand multiplication! Remember, multiplication is just a fast way to add the same number over and over again. The times symbol means groups of, and it helps us count equal groups quickly. You've learned that 2 times 3 equals 6, 4 times 2 equals 8, 3 times 4 equals 12, and 5 times 2 equals 10. You're now a multiplication star! Keep practicing and you'll get even better at it!