Start with the simple lessons to boost your child's confidence, suggests the Kidz World website. For instance, zero multiplied by any number always will result in a zero. That includes 0 x 5 or 0 x 225. Both answers are zero. The next easy foundation to build upon is the knowledge that any number multiplied by one always will produce the original number. In other words, 5 x 1 is 5 and 17 x 1 is 17.
A student grasps the concept of multiplying with the number two when you show him how to double his numbers. For example, 2 x 2 is the same as 2 + 2. Either equation amounts to 4. Likewise, 2 x 12 is the same as 12 + 12 because both result in 24. Coach your youngsters to apply those addition skills to their multiplication studies and to understand that multiplying numbers is a compressed form of adding, according to the Math-And-Reading-Help-For-Kids website.
Some numbers demonstrate easy patterns that simplify multiplication problems. For instance, counting in fives results in 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and so on. A child who remembers this rhythm recognizes that multiplying by five results in numbers ending in a zero or a five. At the same time, counting in nines also has a pattern with 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63 and so on. Look at the digits in the ones column and notice the descending pattern of 9, 8, 7, 6 and so on.
Use your fingers to multiply by nine, according to Kidz World website. Hold both hands with your palms facing you. To multiply by nine, count on your fingers starting with your left thumb. For example, 3 x 9 means counting three fingers inward from your left thumb, which would land you on your middle finger on your left hand. This gives you two fingers before that middle finger and seven fingers on the opposite side of that same middle finger. Take that two and that seven to give you 27.