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The goal of this tutorial is to define a logical teaching method for integer multiplication. This tutorial defines a logical teaching method for integer multiplication from a very basic multiplication problem to solving any multiplication problem.
What are the steps to teach whole numbers? multiplication? Teaching multiplication of integers in four steps makes it easier for students to understand the topic. The four steps can be divided into grades or multiple steps can be combined within a single grade based on curriculum requirements; it is key to maintain the four distinct steps.
A brief definition of each step is as follows:
1. First you are multiplying two one-digit numbers. In parallel, show the same addition solution. Students should have a full understanding of the first step, if they don’t this will be the beginning of individual students being in multiplication.
2. The second is the multiplication of a one-digit number with a two-digit number.
3. The third is the multiplication of two two-digit numbers.
4. The fourth is the multiplication of two or more numbers each variable number of digits; by completing this step, students can solve any integer multiplication problem.
The first step is extremely important. It is the students’ first introduction to multiplication. Procedural thinking is very different from addition; the lack of transition from addition to multiplication will leave students confused.
Why are four steps important in teaching integer multiplication logically? Let’s review the first three steps as a group and step four later. Here are the details of the first three steps:
1. One requires multiplying two – one-digit numbers. Next to the multiplication problem, show the corresponding addition problem. The addition problem allows for visual comparison.
2. Two requires multiplying a one-digit number by a two-digit number.
3. Three requires multiplying two two-digit numbers.
4. Notice that at each step, we are adding another digit to the multiplication learning process.
Let’s discuss the teaching of the first step in more detail; it is more complex than steps two and three. There are three reasons why this is true.
1. The first step is the transition from addition thinking to multiplication thinking. We encourage teaching multiplication along with the same addition problem. This puts students in a familiar comfort zone.
2. The second step requires the phasing out of parallel addition problems. The rate of phasing out depends on the learning curve of the class.
3. The third step shows only multiplication problems, no addition.
4. The fourth and final step: Solve many multiplication problems with any counting numbers and lengths of numbers. The focus of this final step is to establish a comfort zone for solving any integer multiplication problems through practice.