5 Fun Math Tips To Help With Multiplication
Math doesn’t have to be a headache.
If you teach it in a fun, easy to understand manner, you increase the chances of your kids becoming fascinated with it.
If you don’t teach it in that manner, kids will do anything to avoid it.
We crafted 5 math tips to make your kid understand and enjoy math more.
1. Multiplying by 5
If you need to multiply any number by 5, you’re in luck. There is an easy way to find out the result of your calculations.
For example, let’s assume you need to find 28 x 5. The trick is to be aware of 5 = 10 / 2. How does that help us? Well, it’s easy to find the result of 28 x 10. We just add a zero.
So let’s do that. The result is 280, but we also know that 5 = 10 / 2. So let’s take 280 and divide it by two since our goal is to find how much 28 x 5 is.
It’s easier to divide 280 by 2. The result is 140.
This means that 28 x 5= 140.
How did we find this out? We took the easier route, multiplying 28 by 10 and then dividing the result by two since 10 is the double of 5.
This can be done with larger numbers too. You just have to add some zeroes when you multiply by 10 or 100.
2. Doubling and halving
This tip applies to even numbers, like 24. Let’s say you want to find the result of 39 X 24. This sounds a bit hard to do, but you can simply double and half the even number, which is 24.
When I say doubling and halving, I mean that we double one number while we half the other. In this case, we transform 39 x 24 into 78 x12. We can continue the process and turn it to 154 x 6.
Then we continue the process till we can’t double and half anymore. Finally, this leaves us with 308 x 3, which is far easier to calculate than 39 x 24.
3. The power of 2
This is a very easy mental exercise that can be used when you’re multiplying numbers that happen to be a power of two.
If you multiply a number with a power of two, you just have to double the power of two, like this: 8 = 2 x 2 x 2.
If you multiply 14 with 8, it’s easier to use to use this instead: 14 x 2 x 2 x 2.
4. How to multiply a lot of 9s
This trick deals with multiplying any number with 9, or even 999.
What makes the numbers that contain a lot of 9s so special? It’s easy to make calculations with them, because 9 = 10 – 1, and 99 = 100 – 1, and so on.
It’s easier to multiply by 10 or 100. With 9s, you just add a zero and subtract a one.
For example, if you multiply 50 x 99, the secret is to realize that is similar to 50 x(100- 99) = ( 50 x 100) -50.
This method will help deal with larger numbers too.
5. Use cards to make math more fun
After you taught them a few techniques on how to use these math tips, try games. All you need is a deck of cards.
You need two kids to play this game. Both kids must extract two cards at once.
The children must multiply the numbers on the cards. If a child is able to do so, he or she keeps the cards.
If the child can’t, however, he or she puts the cards back into the deck.
The person who has the most cards at the end wins.
How Math tips help students love math more
Let’s be honest, math is not that loved among young students, and that’s sad because math plays a huge role in our lives.
It’s our mission to make it easier for them to understand it and to make it fun. One of the biggest obstacles for many kids is understanding math.
Most children dislike math because at some point in time they misunderstood a concept and now everything seems foggy to them.
If you want to help your students or your children learn about how the world works in a fun way, check out the rest of our blog for more activities and games.
We also have geography, history and science sections to explore!