Just because a child has memorized and can say the answers to addition, subtraction, multiplication or division facts does not mean that the child has understanding of what those math facts mean.
A student is shown the math fact 3 x 4 and answers 12. You provide the student with counting items such as Unifix cubes or crayons. When asked to show what 3 x 4 means, a student takes 3 reds and 4 blues, and counts to get 7. There is a look of “What?” because 7 does not match the answer of 12 that was given earlier.
Check concepts of the “Zero” facts. Once students begin multiplication, there is sometimes confusion with 4 + 0, 0 + 4, 4 – 0, 4 – 4, 0 x 4, and 4 x 0. Give ample word math and written practice with these “Zero” facts.
Another multiplication fact that seems so easy but may be answered incorrectly by some children is 1 x 1. There is a tendency to give the answer as 2. Have your child use counters to show word problem such as:
There is 1 bag and it has 1 apple in it. How many apples?
There is 1 blue plate and 1 red plate. Each plate has 1 apple. How many apples?
Memorization is important, but students need to first demonstrate understanding of the math facts before we ask them to memorize those math fact answers.
