What does multiplication mean?
Word: Multiplication
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Multiplication means the maths operation of adding a number to itself a given number of times.
Antonyms: division
How do you spell multiplication?
Syllables: mul - ti - pli - ca - tion
Tricky part: Children lose the l after the p, or write ple or ply in the middle. The middle beat is pli.
Watch out for: multipication, multiplecation, multiplycation
Memory tip: Think of multiply, which you already know: the l after the p stays when the word grows longer.
Multiplication in a sentence
Example 1: We practise multiplication tables every morning.
Example 2: Riya used multiplication to find the cost of six pens.
Example 3: Multiplication is quicker than adding 7 eight times.
Fun Fact
The x sign for multiplication was made popular by the English mathematician William Oughtred, whose maths book of 1631 used it.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Champ
Which of the words cannot be made using the letters in the given word?
multiplication
a) pilot
b) coat
c) cotton
d) tulip
Show answer
c) cotton. Cotton wants two o's and two n's; multiplication can lend only one of each.
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) multiplication
b) divison
c) subtraction
d) addition
Show answer
b) divison. Division has an i after the v: di-vi-sion. The other three are correct.
Word Fusion
Add the correct option to the following to make a new word:
multipli______
a) kation
b) cation
c) catoin
d) cashun
Show answer
b) cation. Multiply changes y to i and takes cation, with a c and then tion.
Spellacadabra
Choose the option in which the following letters will fit in the given order:
u, i
a) m_lt_plication
b) c_rt_in
c) f_t_re
d) b_tt_rfly
Show answer
a) m_lt_plication. Multiplication takes u and then i; butterfly, curtain and future need other vowels.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which word problem needs multiplication?
a) 5 apples and then 4 more
b) 4 apples eaten from a bag of 5
c) 5 bags with 4 apples in each
d) 5 apples shared by 4 children
Show answer
c) 5 bags with 4 apples in each
2. What is 6 x 5?
a) 25
b) 35
c) 30
d) 11
Show answer
c) 30
