Teach the nines in multiplication with a fun and easy strategy.
* Before asking students to memorize an answer, they need to show understanding of what the fact means.
For example: 4 x 9 means four groups of 9. (Four rows of nine trees = 36 trees or four tables with nine children at each table = 36 children.)
9×4 means nine groups of 4. ( Nine plates with four cupcakes on each plate = 36 cupcakes. or nine tanks with four frogs in each tank = 36 frogs.)
To show students the strategy to remember the answers to nines in multiplication, I ask them to pretend to add with 9.
In order to use this strategy, students must first know the addition facts of 9 plus a number:
They also need to know fact families to 9 or be able to tell what number is missing to add up to nine.
2+7, 7+2, 9-2, 9-7, 3+6, 6+3, 9-6, 9-3, 4+5, 5+4, 9-4, 9-5
Examples: 2 + ___=9, 6 + ___= 9 5 + ___ = 9
See a few examples of how Pretend to Add With 9.
9×8 and 8×9. Pretend to add 9+8. Get the sound seven (from seventeen) 7 plus 2 = 9. 9 x 8 = 72
6×9 and 9×6. Pretend to add 6+9. Get the sound fif (from fifteen) and 5 plus 4 = 9. 6 x 9 = 54
9×7 and 7×9. Pretend to add 9+7. Get the sound six (from sixteen) and 6 plus 3 = 9. 7x 9 = 63
This strategy works for these facts: 9×9, 9×8, 8×9, 7×9, 9×7, 6×9, 9×6, 5×9, 9×5, 4×9, 9×4, 3×9, 9×3
Try this with your student! See if this strategy helps your student improve on timed math fact tests.
If you have any questions, let me know.
Here is one sample page from Five Times Five Is Not Ten: Make Multiplication Easy. Click on it to see it full-size. If you want to see more sample pages from this strategy, email me and I will send them to you.
