What Is Multiplication?
Mathematics · Grades 2–5
Meaning at a glance
Multiplication is a quick way to add the same number again and again.
Also searched as: multiply, multiplying, times, times table, times tables, product.
Understand it simply
Suppose there are 4 bags and each bag holds 3 mangoes. You could add 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12. Multiplication writes this faster: 4 × 3 = 12.
The answer to a multiplication is called the product. The numbers you multiply are called factors.
See it work
Picture 3 rows of chairs with 5 chairs in each row. Count the chairs by rows: 5 + 5 + 5 = 15, so 3 × 5 = 15. Turn the picture around and you have 5 rows of 3 chairs, and 5 × 3 is also 15.
Avoid this confusion
Order does not change the product, but it changes the story. 4 × 3 means 4 groups of 3. 3 × 4 means 3 groups of 4. Both make 12.
Multiplying does not always make a number bigger in the way you expect. Any number times 1 stays the same, and any number times 0 is 0.
Try it yourself
Work these out first, then check your answers below.
Write 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 as a multiplication.
A hall has 6 rows with 4 chairs in each row. How many chairs are there?
What is 7 × 0?
Check your understanding
Show the answer to question 1
Answer: 4 × 5 = 20
There are 4 equal groups of 5, so the multiplication is 4 × 5, and the sum is 20.
Show the answer to question 2
Answer: 24
6 groups of 4 is 6 × 4 = 24.
Show the answer to question 3
Answer: 0
Seven groups with nothing in each group is still nothing.
Understand more with Courseversity
You now know what multiplication means. Keep going with a full lesson, then explore the ideas that connect to it.
Learn
Learn this in a full lesson.
- Multiplication using pictures (Grade 2)
- Multiplication as equal groups (Grade 3)
- Multiplication arrays (Grade 3)
- Multiplication tables (Grade 3)
Practise
Practise with Learning Lab questions for the lesson Multiplication using pictures (Grade 2), with an explanation after each answer.
Explore
Ideas that connect to this word.
- Area: area of a rectangle is found by multiplying its sides.
- Place value: multiplying by 10 moves digits one place.
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Sources and review
This explanation was written from Courseversity lesson content (see the lessons above). An outside reference check is still on the editorial to-do list.
Written by: Courseversity editorial team (AI-assisted draft).
Review status: checked against the sources above. Educator review is pending, so please tell us if anything looks wrong.
Last updated: 27 October 2026.