Repeated addition and multiplication

Linking repeated addition and multiplication

Here are five flower pots.

There are two flowers in each pot.

There are five twos.

2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2

This is called repeated addition. You add the same number lots of times.

This can also be written as a multiplication calculation.

There are five equal groups of two.

5 × 2

Multiplication is a way of adding the same number over and over again.

Activity: What is multiplication?

Complete this interactive activity to understand what multiplications are. Then put your knowledge to the test.

Adding or multiplying equal groups

When objects are placed in equal groups, it helps us to add or multiply them.

Look at these cakes. They have been arranged into five groups with three cakes in each group.

There are the same number of cakes in each group, which means the groups are equal.

It can be written as a repeated addition calculation:

3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3

It can also be written as this multiplication calculation:

5 × 3

The five represents the number of groups and the three represents the number of cakes in each group.