Mathematics
Grade 3
15 min
Multiply a 2-digit number by a 2-digit number: word problems
Multiply a 2-digit number by a 2-digit number: word problems
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify the key numbers and question in a multiplication word problem.
Set up a 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication problem based on a story.
Use the area model (box method) to find the product of two 2-digit numbers.
Add partial products together to find a final answer.
Explain what their final answer means in the context of the word problem.
Solve two-step problems that involve multiplication and finding a simple fraction (like 1/2 or 1/3) of the total.
If a magical garden has 12 rows of sparkling gumdrop flowers and each row has 25 flowers, how many gumdrops are there in total? 🍬 Let's find out!
In this lesson, we will learn how to solve story problems by multiplying two big numbers together. We will use a special tool called the area model to ma...
2
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Word ProblemA math question that is written as a short story. It tells you the information you need to solve a problem."There are 15 boxes of crayons. Each box has 24 crayons. How many crayons are there in all?" is a word problem.
ProductThe answer you get when you multiply two or more numbers together.In 10 x 5 = 50, the number 50 is the product.
FactorsThe numbers that are multiplied together to get a product.In 10 x 5 = 50, the numbers 10 and 5 are the factors.
Area Model (or Box Method)A way to solve multiplication problems by drawing a box. You break the numbers into tens and ones and multiply them in smaller, easier steps.To solve 12 x 15, you break it into (10 + 2) x (10 + 5) and multiply the parts inside a box.
Partial ProductsThe answers you get wh...
3
Core Formulas
The Area Model for Multiplication
(a + b) \times (c + d) = (a \times c) + (a \times d) + (b \times c) + (b \times d)
This rule helps us multiply big numbers. We break each 2-digit number into its tens (like 'a' and 'c') and ones (like 'b' and 'd'). Then we multiply each part and add all the smaller answers (the partial products) together.
Finding a Unit Fraction of a Total
Total \div Denominator = Part
When a word problem asks for a fraction of a total (like 1/3 or 1/4), first you find the total using multiplication. Then, you divide the total by the bottom number of the fraction (the denominator) to find the answer.
4 more steps in this tutorial
Sign up free to access the complete tutorial with worked examples and practice.
Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
A company packs 24 cans of soup into a case. A pallet holds 36 cases. A grocery store orders a full pallet, but finds that 1/12 of the cases are damaged and cannot be sold. How many individual cans of soup can the store sell from this pallet?
A.864
B.72
C.792
D.828
Challenging
A rectangular swimming pool is 25 meters long and 10 meters wide. A walkway that is 2 meters wide is built around the entire pool. The walkway is made of tiles, and each tile covers 1/4 of a square meter. What is the area of the walkway only?
A.250 square meters
B.406 square meters
C.70 square meters
D.156 square meters
Challenging
For 25 days, Leo reads 18 pages of his book each day. The book has a total of 500 pages. Each day's reading takes him about 1/2 an hour. After the 25 days are over, how many pages does he have left to read?
A.450
B.50
C.43
D.90
Want to practice and check your answers?
Sign up to access all questions with instant feedback, explanations, and progress tracking.
Start Practicing Free