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3rd grade · Math · Unit 2 of 16

Multiplication

Equal groups and arrays

What your child practices

Understanding multiplication as equal groups, arrays, repeated addition and skip counting. Easier sets use 2s, 5s and 10s; stretch sets go beyond 5 × 5.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: NY-3.OA.1; NY-3.OA.3; NY-3.OA.5; NY-3.OA.7 · multiplication as equal groups, equal-groups word problems, properties of multiplication, and multiplying within 100

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Multiplying means equal groups.
  2. 3 × 4 means 3 groups of 4.
  3. An array shows the groups as rows and columns.

Example: 4 × 5 = ? That is 4 groups of 5. 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 20. Answer: 20

Multiplication in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 2 of 16 in 3rd grade Math, after Add & Subtract and before Division.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    5 × 3 = 15. So what is 3 × 5?

    3 × 5 = ?

    • 20
    • 12
    • 15
    • 8

  2. Question 2

    How many 🌸 are in the array?

    answer box

  3. Question 3

    Which multiplication means the same as this?

    3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3

    • 5 + 3
    • 6 × 3
    • 3 × 3
    • 5 × 3

  4. Question 4

    What is 4 × 2?

    4 × 2 = ?

    answer box

  5. Question 5

    What is 2 × 2?

    2 × 2 = ?

    • 6
    • 8
    • 4
    • 2

  6. Question 6

    Which multiplication matches the array?

    • 3 × 2
    • 3 + 2
    • 3 × 3
    • 4 × 2

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