Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Understanding Multiplication
- By Repeated Addition
- By Using Number Line
- What’s Next?
In the previous segment, we learned about the Additive identity of integers. In this segment, we will learn about the multiplication of integers.
Understanding multiplication
Before we learn about the multiplication of integers, let us understand what multiplication is, with the help of the below example.
There are 3 people that have 7 pens each. How many pens do the 3 of them have in total?
By repeated addition
As there are 3 people in consideration, the number of pens have to be counted 3 times. This means the ‘set of 7 pens’ has to be counted thrice. This can be expressed mathematically as follows:
7 + 7 + 7 = 21
As 7 is repeatedly added 3 times, 7 can be multiplied by 3, that is 7 x 3,
where the ‘x’ sign indicates the multiplication of the two numbers.
This also gives us 21.
Thus, it means that multiplication is repeated addition.
7 + 7 + 7 = 7 x 3 = 21
It is important to note here that, though addition may seem like an easier option, if it has to be repeated several times, multiplication would be an easier method to solve.
By using number line
Let us solve the above problem using a number line.
Number line
