Times Tables with Groups

Today we learn times tables, which is just a clever way to count groups of things quickly! Look, here are three mangoes. Let's count them together, one, two, three. Now let's make three groups of mangoes, with three mangoes in every group.

Counting one by one is slow. Adding the same number again and again is faster. Three plus three plus three makes nine. That is three groups of three.

• same number, again and again

We have a short way to write it. Three groups of three is written three times three.

The cross sign means times, and it means groups of. So times just means groups of. Let's try a new picture. Here are two groups of four stars, with four stars in every group. Four plus four makes eight. So two times four is eight.

• times means groups of

Now let's build the table of two, with groups of two bananas. Count by twos: two, four, six, eight, ten. So five times two is ten.

See the pattern? Each new group of two adds two more. The answers go up by two each time.

Here is a worked example. Four baskets, with three apples in each basket. How many apples? Step one, write it as times. Four groups of three is four times three.

Step two, add the groups. Three plus three plus three plus three.

Step three, add them up. Three and three is six, nine, then twelve.

So there are twelve apples. Notice that three times four also gives twelve. The order does not matter!

A common mistake is adding instead of grouping. Three plus four is seven, but three times four is twelve.

In real life, think of eggs. Cartons hold six eggs each, so groups help us count fast. Two cartons with six eggs each makes twelve eggs, because two times six is twelve.

Now your turn! There are five plates, with two cookies on each plate. How many cookies? Great job! Times means groups of, and we add the same number again and again to find the total.

• times = groups of