Multiplication and Division
This collection of resources supports the teaching of Multiplication and Division in primary mathematics. These activities are linked to the year groups containing the corresponding content in the National Curriculum.
Here are some favourite activities selected by the NRICH team.
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Doubling Fives (Y1) This activity focuses on doubling multiples of five.
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Odd Times Even (Y2) This problem looks at how one example of your choice can show something about the general structure of multiplication.
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Shape Times Shape (Y4) These eleven shapes each stand for a different number. Can you use the multiplication sums to work out what they are?
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Sweets in a Box (Y5) How many different shaped boxes can you design for 36 sweets in one layer? Can you arrange the sweets so that no sweets of the same colour are next to each other in any direction?
These are just a few of the activities on Multiplication and Division that you can find on the NRICH curriculum pages.
The activities below, taken from the STEM Learning website, complement the NRICH activities above.
Compare Bears Maths - Book 2
Compare Bears Books provide many opportunities for children to explore multiplication and division in a hands on way.
Activity sheets 13, 16 and 46 look at division by dividing given numbers into equal groups (sharing).
Grouping looks at how many groups of a given number you can make out of a number of items. This may be practised in sheets 48 and 50, which asks children to divide or group different numbers of bears into sets of 2 and note the number of sets this produces.
Sharing is usually the first way in which children learn about division, however grouping is good preparation for learning about division by repeated subtraction. It also links with the idea of division, as the inverse of multiplication.
Sheets 21, 49 and 52, 56, 57 and 58 and 80 provide opportunities to practice both seeing and writing various times tables.
Multiplication
The times tables booklets included in this resource are extremely useful in allowing children to learn and practise their times tables. A great idea for homework or in class.
It also looks at Gelosia and Napiers bones as methods of multiplication.
4, 5, 6 Times Table Target Boards
This times tables game involves children working in pairs using 'target boards' to practise multiplication facts. Children use the ‘target boards’ to choose questions, winning points for each correct answer, the more difficult the multiplication fact the more points they win. Once the question has been answered, it is it is covered with a counter.
Three in a Line
This game allows children to practice multiplication problems. Children move along a track landing on different numbers, mainly from the 6, 7, 8 and 9 times tables. To move they must say the pair of numbers (factors) which will multiply together to give a nearby product on the board. It contains two boards and teachers' notes with instructions of how to play the different games (there are ten different ways to play). There is also a blank board so teachers can easily adapt the game to suit any specific needs. A great one to laminate and have in your maths games collection!
Primary Progression in Multiplication Videos
This suite of videos, from the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM), looks at elements of progression in multiplication across the primary school. The videos are:
Multiple representations of multiplication In the context of children practising table facts and developing fluency, Sam, a Key Stage One teacher, reinforces children’s understanding of the concept through pictures and symbols.
The Commutative Law for multiplication: Later in her lesson Sam introduces the commutative law for multiplication through the image of an array.
Grid multiplication as an interim step: Richard, a Lower Key Stage Two teacher, links the array to the grid method as an interim step for multiplication.
Moving from grid to column method: Debbie, an Upper Key Stage Two teacher, successfully introduces children to the compact algorithm.
Interactive Teaching Programs 3
A collection of interactive tools which illustrate multiplication in different ways. Multiplication tables is a useful tool for bringing up a table of multiplications on the board. Set the grid so that multiplications may be on one particular table or a mixture of different ones. This is a great quick maths activity at any time of the day, which children can do in mental maths books or on whiteboards. Try hiding the first digit instead of the answer and ask children to complete the calculation.
Number grid generates a 100 square grid in which individual cells can be hidden or highlighted in different colours. Great for showing multiples and for spotting patterns.
Multiplication facts shows how multiplication is repeated addition by using a grid of blocks or counters.
Go Further with Games
40 games sheets related to many mathematical areas. Laminate and keep in a box for when they are needed.Sheet 2 looks at division with remainders.
The Multiplication card games help children consolidate multiplication facts.
Multiple games using simple apparatus provides practice on specific multiples.
Factor games encourages students to think which numbers are factors of grid column and row headings.
Multiplication dice games practice mental single digit multiplication and keeping a running total.
Maths Games in the Classroom - Books 1 to 11
Division games includes games which look at division of whole numbers by single digits, many of the games require players to search for remainders.
