Solve Simple Multiplication and Division Calculations

In this activity, we will be looking at arrays and pictures and working out the multiplication or division sentence that goes with them. 

You will be using your 2, 5, and 10 times tables. 

Quick reminder: multiply can be thought of as 'sets of' 

So 3 x 2 means 3 'sets of' 2 

Let's have a look at an example:

Here we have an array. 

In order to work out the multiplication sentence, we need to count how many circles are in each row, how many rows, and how many altogether.  

How many circles in each row shows us what we are multiplying in.

There are 2 in each row, so we are counting in sets of 2. 

There are 4 rows. So this is 4 sets of 2:

4 x 2 = 

For the answer, we just count how many circles there are altogether and that is what the total number of circles is.

There are 8 altogether. 

4 x 2 = 8 

Now let's have a look at some division sentences with the same array: 

For the division sentence, we always start with the biggest number, which is how many red circles there are altogether. 

So we will start with 8 here. 

Then we use our division sign, which we can think of as 'shared by'

Next, we need to count how many red circles in each row, which is 2. 

This will be written: 8 ÷ 2 =

So this means, 8 shared into groups of 2. 

Then for the answer, we need to work out how many groups of 2 have been made. 

We can count the rows -  each row has 2 - and there are 4 rows, which means there are 4 groups of 2. 

Our final division sentence will be:

8 ÷ 2 = 4

Have you got your head around this?

Let's get started then!