Module 6 - Multiplicative Thinking

Typical Progression

Common Difficulties

Manipulatives, Games and Technology

Pedagogy/Strategies for Teaching and Assessment

Mathematical Representation

Initially introduced informally without emphasis on formal language or recording

Experience multiplication as repeated addition and start thinking multiplicatively, such as 'making arrays and combinations'

Combinations - ie how many different outfits can be made from 2 pants, 3 skirts

Rate problems ie. $5 per student, 38 students

Recipes - how would you modify a recipe for 4 people to feed 8

Properties

Commutative a x b = b x a

Associative (a x b) x c = a x (b x c)

Distributive a x (b+c) = (a x b) (a x c)

Multiplication property of 1 (n x 1 = n)

Multiplication property of zero (n x 0 = 0)

Array Presentation

Useful concrete or pictorial representation

3 x 5 and 5 x 3, rotating arrays can get understanding of commutativity

Arrays

The Arrays Game - roll dice and mark out arrays on grid paper

Multiplication Strategies

Counting in Multiples

Relate to known facts

Using Patterns

Multiplication

Break a tower

Number Windows

Cover Ups

Step 1 - Understanding, Step 2 Networking, Step 3 Recalling (See Addition/Subtraction notes)

Tables - Commutative properties

MAB Blocks - Trading

Alternative Methods of Multiplication

Venetian Grid Method

Grid multiplication

Division

Arises naturally out of real world situations

Sharing (how many toys..) and Grouping (how many teams...) aspects

Division

"The Doorbell Rang" Pat hutchins

Division strategies

Relate to multiplication

Repeated subtraction

Doubling and Halving

Compatible numbers strategy - estimation ie 3388 / 76 -> 3200 / 80

Function Machine

Order of Operations BIMDAS

Repeated Aggregation Struction

Multiplication = so many sets of

Scaling Structure

Increase quantity by a certain amount/scale factor

Expanded notation 100 / 20 / 7

Factoring

Commutative Property

Partitioning

Distributive property

Doubling & Halving

Logical Reasoning

eg. 15x120 -> 10x120 plus 5x120, but 5x120 is half of 10x120, so 15x120 =1,200 + 600 = 1,800

14 x 55 = (2x7) x (5x11)

Multiplication Algorithm uses DISTRIBUTIVE PROPERTY - 84x6 = 4x6 + 80x6

Difficulty learning standard written algorithms

In process of learning algorithm, children forget to make sense of numbers they are dealing with

Many errors due to faulty application of written algorithm

Should be encouraged to use estimation to check the answers they obtained are reasonable

Difficulty with multiplying with zeroes