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Practicing Multiplication Facts

Dear Family,

To develop strong computation strategies for multiplication with multidigit numbers, students need to be fluent with the multiplication facts up to 10 × 10, often known as “multiplication tables.” Students were expected to learn these multiplication facts in Grade 3, and they reviewed and used them in Grade 4. The beginning of the school year is a good time for Grade 5 students to review these facts and identify any facts they may still not know fluently.

The sheer number of multiplication facts to remember can seem overwhelming, and many adults recall the task of “memorizing the facts.” In school, students have learned these facts in categories of related facts to help them. As Grade 5 students review the multiplication facts, they identify the facts they still need to practice. They record the facts they are still learning, and they add “clues” to help them with those facts. Students use a fact that they know, which is “close to” the fact they are solving, and then they adjust to find the product. Here are some examples:

9 × 8 = 72 8 × 9 = 72

Clue: 10 × 8 = 80 80 − 8 = 72

6 × 7 = 42 and 7 × 6 = 42

Clue: 6 × 5 = 30 6 × 2 = 12 30 + 12 = 42

4 × 8 = 32 and 8 × 4 = 32

Clue: 2 × 8 = 16 16 + 16 = 32

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