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Ages 7+ · Abacus · Times and sharing
Times tables on the abacus
tensones15
3 × 5 on the frame: five, then ten trades up, then five more makes one ten and five ones.
The big ideaTimes means equal groups, added again and again.

How it works

Times means equal groups, added again and again.

Three times five means three groups of five.

On the frame, slide one group across, then the next. When the ones row is full, trade ten ones for one ten.

Turn the groups around and the total is the same: 2 × 7 and 7 × 2 match.

3 × 5 = 15
3 rows of 5: three groups of five.
tensones
6 × 4 on the frame: six groups of four, two tens and four ones.

Example 1: 3 × 5, three bags of five

  1. Three equal groups of five: 5 + 5 + 5 = 15
  2. Slide five ones across for the first bag, then five more for the second. The ones row is full.
  3. Ten ones trade for a ten, then five more slide on for bag three.
  4. One ten and five ones: 3 × 5 = 15
tensones
3 × 5: one ten and five ones.

Example 2: 2 × 8, two bags of eight

  1. Slide eight ones across, then eight more: 8 + 8 = 16
  2. Ten ones trade for one ten, and six ones stay.
  3. 2 × 8 = 16
tensones
2 × 8: one ten and six ones.

Example 3: 4 × 5, fives fill the row

  1. Four groups of five: 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 20
  2. Every second group of five fills the ones row, and it trades up for a ten.
  3. Two tens and no ones: 4 × 5 = 20
tensones
4 × 5: two tens.

Example 4: 2 × 7 and 7 × 2, turn the tray

  1. Two rows of seven marbles: 7 + 7 = 14
  2. Turn the tray on its side: seven rows of two, and 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 14
  3. Same marbles, same total: 2 × 7 = 14 and 7 × 2 = 14
tensones
Both ways make one ten and four ones.

Example 5: 6 × 3, skip counting

  1. Six groups of three: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 18
  2. Count in threes: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18. Each skip is one more group.
  3. One ten and eight ones: 6 × 3 = 18
tensones
6 × 3: one ten and eight ones.

Words to know

times
The same group added again and again.
group
A bag or a row of the same number of things.
skip counting
Counting by jumps of the same size, like 5, 10, 15.
times table
A list of facts in order, each line adding one more group.

Watch out

Try it

  1. What is 4 × 3?
  2. What is 4 × 5?
  3. Count in twos: 2, 4, 6, 8. What comes next?
  4. Is 2 × 7 the same as 7 × 2?
Answers: 1. 12 · 2. 20 · 3. 10 · 4. yes, both make 14
Try at homeAsk a grown-up to help you make equal groups with spoons, socks or blocks, like three groups of four. Add the same number again and again to find the total. Then turn the groups around and count again.
For grown-upsMake equal groups with spoons, socks or blocks, like three groups of four. Add the same number again and again, then turn the groups around and count again.
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