Multiplication Facts & Meaning

Multiplication is a shortcut for adding the same number many times. $6 \times 4$ means six groups of four: $4+4+4+4+4+4 = 24$.

It does not matter which way round you multiply — $6 \times 4$ and $4 \times 6$ both give $24$. This is the commutative property, and it means you really only have half the times-tables to learn.

Worked example. A tray holds eggs in $4$ rows of $6$. How many eggs?

You could count $6+6+6+6$, but multiplication is faster: $4 \times 6 = 24$ eggs. Rows-times-columns counts a rectangle of objects in one step.