What is the Area Method for Multiplication? | New Math Explained for Parents
96What is Multiplication?
https://youtu.be/dPksJHBZs4Q
Multiplication Rap
https://youtu.be/_UVcNBjoxs4
Hey parents! Sometimes when we help our kids with homework, we discover that things are being done a little differently than when we went to school. Even simple multiplication has some new methods and techniques. In this video, we'll show you how the Area Method for multiplication works.
Consider the multiplication problem 42 times 6.
The way I learned to solve this problem is with a technique called the Algorithm method, which you may have just called carrying.
Starting with the ones place, I multiply 6 times 2. The answer is 12. Of course, I can't just write down 12 in the answer. I place the 2 from the ones place here, in line with the other ones place.
Then, I carry the one from the tens place and write it above the 4.
Six times 4 is 24, plus the one we carried equals 25.
We put that here in the answer below.
My answer is 252.
That's the old-school tried and true way, but some learners do have trouble with it.
These days, there's another way for beginners to learn to multiply: the Area Method.
First, draw a rectangle, and split it into two parts. We're multiplying by 6, so we'll put a six here on the side.
Now, we need to write the number 42 across the top of our rectangle in expanded notation: 40 … plus … 2, there!
I'm going to find the "area" of each of these rectangles by multiplying length times width.
First, 40 times 6. I know that 6 times zero gives us zero for the ones place… and six times 4 is 24 for the tens place. This part of our rectangle has an area of 240.
The other one is easy! 6 times 2 gives us 12 for the area of this part.
Now all I need to do is add the areas of the 2 rectangles together. 240 plus 12… 2 plus zero gives us a 2 in the ones place… 4 plus 1 gives us a 5 in the tens place… and this 2 goes in the hundreds place of the answer. 252 -- that checks out! We got the same answer we did with the good old algorithm method.
Now, I know some of you are wondering… WHY?! Why can't teachers just do it the way I learned it?
Well, the Area Method of Multiplication provides another way of looking at how multiplication works. When teaching multiplication, it's useful to have different ways of doing things for different levels of learners. Some beginners may find the area method easier when first learning, then move on to multiplication with carrying later.
We hope this explanation was helpful to you. If your young learner needs practice with basic multiplication, check out our "What is Multiplication" and "Multiplication Rap" videos. You'll find links in the description of this video. Please subscribe and enable notifications so you don't miss anything new. Thanks for watching!