MMati Learning Hub

TOPIC 3 · GRADE 3

Multiplication, Properties, and Patterns

Connect equal groups, arrays, properties, and fact patterns to products within 100.

Grade 3 focus: Equal groups, arrays, fact families, commutative/associative/distributive properties, and fluency strategies.

BIG IDEA

Multiplication describes equal groups. Arrays expose structure, and properties let a difficult product be renamed as easier products without changing its value.

INTERACTIVE MATH LAB

Build it. Change it. Explain it.

MODEL 1 OF 3

MATH LANGUAGE

factor
a number multiplied
product
the result of multiplication
array
equal rows and columns
distributive property
break one factor apart and add partial products

REPRESENT IT

  • equal groups
  • array
  • number line jumps
  • distributive equation

STRATEGY STEPS

  1. 1Read a × b as a groups of b and connect it to repeated addition.
  2. 2Rotate an array to see the commutative property: 4 × 7 = 7 × 4.
  3. 3Break apart a factor with the distributive property: 7 × 8 = 7 × 5 + 7 × 3.
  4. 4Use known facts, doubles, fives, tens, and patterns to build unknown facts.

WATCH OUT

The commutative property changes the order of factors, not the group interpretation: 3 groups of 8 and 8 groups of 3 have equal totals but different groupings.

TRY IT

Build an array, drag the split line, and compare the two partial products with the whole product.

WORKED EXAMPLE

7 × 8

  1. Draw 7 rows of 8 or 8 rows of 7.
  2. Split 8 into 5 + 3.
  3. Find 7 × 5 = 35 and 7 × 3 = 21.
  4. Combine 35 + 21 = 56.