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How to Write a Multiplication Sentence to Solve Each Problem

Seeing a picture of items arranged in rows and columns may not be enough for some students to quickly multiply and determine the number of items. Writing a multiplication sentence and then solving may be what some students need to avoid counting all the items in the picture. By looking at the columns and rows in a picture, anyone can quickly write multiplication sentences.

Multiplication problems
Paper
Pencil

Instructions

- 1
  Count the items going across the page horizontally to find out the number of rows in the picture. This number will be the first number of the multiplication sentence. For example, if a picture has five dogs in a line horizontally, five is the first number of the multiplication sentence. Write five on your paper.
- 2
  Count the items going down the first column to determine the number of items in each column. This number will be the second number in the multiplication sentence. For example, if a picture has four dogs in a line vertically, four is the second number of the multiplication sentence. Write the multiplication symbol behind the five and then write a four behind it.
- 3
  Finish writing the multiplication sentence by solving the problem. Write "5 x 4 = 20" on your paper.

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