Multiplying Big Numbers Made Easy
Did you know you already have all the skills needed to multiply big numbers?
When we multiply a 1-digit number by a 3-digit or 4-digit number, we're just using the multiplication facts you already know, but applying them to each digit in the bigger number. It's like building a multiplication tower!
How to Multiply Step-by-Step
1
Write the numbers vertically with the bigger number on top
2
Multiply the 1-digit number by each digit of the bigger number, starting from the right
3
Remember to carry over if your multiplication is 10 or more
4
Write down your final answer by combining all the results
Let's Try Some Examples!
Example 1: 4 × 325
Let's break it down:
4 × 300 = 1,200
4 × 20 = 80
4 × 5 = 20
Now add them together: 1,200 + 80 + 20 = 1,300
The answer is 1,300! Great job!
Example 2: 7 × 2,014
Let's break it down:
7 × 2,000 = 14,000
7 × 10 = 70
7 × 4 = 28
Now add them together: 14,000 + 70 + 28 = 14,098
The answer is 14,098! You're amazing!
Parent Tips 🌟
- Real-world practice: Have your child calculate totals when grocery shopping (e.g., "If apples cost $2 each, how much for 375 apples?").
- Break it down: Encourage breaking big numbers into thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones before multiplying.
- Game time: Play multiplication war with cards - flip two cards to make a 3-digit number and multiply by a 1-digit number.