A resource for strengthening core numeracy concepts

CTTCS 2023
Rationale: Many algebra skills in grades 9-12 are more
difficult for students who do not have
Why factors and multiples? fluency in recognizing factors and multiples

-Ability to multiply and

divide
-recognizing divisibility properties
-recognizing multiples so students can simplify fractions
-create common denominators to add fractions
-reduce fractions while multiplying (increase efficiency)
-Find areas, side lengths
-work with ratios, rates, and scales
-factor polynomials
-graph quadratics
-Simplify equations, manipulate equations to find points of intersection
-graph polynomial functions
-Find x intercepts
-simplify radicals
-work with roots and powers
-work with trig functions, trig identities, and proofs
-calculus

This is a core concept of basic numeracy. Understanding numbers means

understanding the building blocks of numbers. Numbers can be composed and
decomposed into addends, or into factors. Many algebra skills in grades 9-12
are more difficult for students who do not have fluency in recognizing factors
and multiples. Students that lack fluency in multiplication work more slowly, and
become frustrated more easily as the brain is tied up with computation and
students cannot progress to think more deeply about the mathematics and
more complex relationships.

Many students in middle years find computations with fractions difficult. Further,
we see students able to perform operations, then when we introduce fractions
they often will not attempt the problem. Similarly, when introducing algebra,
students often shut down if fractions appear in equations. Fluency in factoring
and recognizing multiples will enhance fluency in operation on fractions and
many other areas, freeing up cognitive processing to think about relationships,
graphs, and contexts.

CTTCS screeners have indicated significant gaps in student grade-level

understanding of factors and multiples, and as a result, division and divisibility
patterns.

2
What we notice in students:
Lack of fluency in multiplication, and even greater lack in division.
Not recognizing multiplication and division as inverse operations.
Lack of continuity of vocabulary grade-to-grade.
Ability to multiply if the problem is given explicitly, yet unable to divide (shut
down).
No connection between fraction form and an expression of division.
Avoidance of fraction problems.
Self declared: “I can’t divide”. “I can’t ‘do’ fractions”.
Inability to recognize multiples—required to simplify (‘reduce’) fractions, and
remove GCF from algebraic expressions.
Inability to recognize GCF to simplify (‘reduce’) fractions, and understand ratios
and scales.
Students do not understand prime vs composite numbers, or the terminology.
Students may not have been introduced to multiplication as repeated addition,
and repeated addition connected to arrays. They may not have seen division as
related to repeated subtraction.
Students may not have been exposed to arrays as a way of displaying factors,
or illustrating prime vs composite numbers, and linking arrays to area.
Inability to fluently identify LCM to make a common denominator.
Inability to manipulate equations to eliminate fractions and decimals.
Students in upper middle years and even high school relying on calculators to
multiply basic facts, including multiplication by 10’s.
Students in pre-algebra and algebra unable to manipulate equations and
graph functions, or too tied up in computation to think about the meaning of
the graph and how it is a representation of a relationship.

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Curriculum:

Grade 3: Multiplication to 5X5, Division.

Grade 4: Multiplication and Division

Arrays
Vocabulary: Array, multiple, factor, product, related facts (fact families)

Grade 5: Recall multiplication facts to 9X9

Multiplication by 1 and 0
Multiplication by factors of 10
Arrays, but also area model
Strategies to multiply, including skip counting, halving, repeated doubling,
decomposing and using distributive property/partial products ex: 5 X 14 = 5(10
+ 4) which is (5 x10) + (5 x 4)
2 digit multiplication strategies (partial products, mental math as well as
algorithms)
Use of base ten blocks to model concretely. Use C-R-A continuum to link
abstract representation to concrete models.
Long division-3 digit by one digit
Recall division facts to dividend of 81
Understand and explain division by 0
Remainder and choices of how to report it
Clarification of zero remainder indicating the divisor is a “factor” of the dividend

Vocabulary: Array, distributive property, partial product, decompose, factors,

multiples, partial product, expanded notation, area, divisor, dividend, quotient,
remainder

Grade 6 The first year factors and multiples are explicitly taught, though students
should be familiar with these words from grades 3,4,and 5

Find factors and multiples of numbers less than 100

Relate skip counting to multiples
Prime and composite numbers
Factors and Prime factors
Using prime factors to determine composite factors
Find common factors, greatest common factor
Find multiples and least common multiple
Multiplying and dividing decimals
Mixed and improper fractions (relates to remainders, fractions as division,
possibly GCF if students experience equivalent fractions)

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Vocabulary: factor, multiple, divisible, prime, composite, factor (as a verb),
prime factorization, arrays, product, dividend, divisor, quotient, skip counting,
GCF, LCM

Grade 7 Divisibility rules are taught

Determine or validate factors using divisibility rules
Multiply and divide decimals
Write equivalent fractions and reduce (simplify) fractions—requires application
of factors and GCF. Reducing fractions requires recognizing multiples.
Add and subtract fractions (requires application of LCM -Least common
multiple-- as LCD lowest/least common denominator)
Fractions, decimals, and percents—involves equivalent fractions and ratios with
denominator of 100, factors of 100.

Vocabulary: factor, multiple, divisible, prime, composite, factor

(as a verb), prime factorization, arrays, product, dividend, divisor, quotient, skip
counting, GCF, LCM. LCD, reducing (simplifying), fraction, ratio, percent,
equivalent

Grade 8 Using arrays and area models to model factors, composite and prime
numbers
Factor numbers
Determine principle square root of numbers, identify square numbers
Multiply and divide fractions—involves canceling common factors from
numerators and denominators (reducing/simplifying)
Exponent rules
Relating fractions, decimals, percents, ratios, rates and proportions
Multiplication and division of integers

Vocabulary: factor, multiple, divisible, prime, composite, factor

(as a verb), prime factorization, arrays, product, dividend, divisor, quotient, skip
counting, GCF, LCM. LCD, reducing (simplifying), fraction, ratio, percent,
equivalent, prime, composite, area, coefficient, variable, exponent

Grade 9 Exponents, powers of positive and negative bases and rational bases
(requires multiplication fluency). Square roots of rational radicands.
Add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions (requires recognizing multiples,
common factors, common multiples) and order fractions, decimals and
percents.
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Solving equations, which includes eliminating fractions in an equation (using
LCM of the denominators) and removing GCFs from equations (recognizing
multiples).
Multiplying and dividing polynomials
Scale factor, similar figures

𝑥 3 2 1
Ex: To solve 2 − 5 = − 3 𝑥 + 6 students need to find the LCM of 2,5,3, and 6 and
multiply each of the four terms by that number.

Vocabulary: Exponent, base, square root, radicand, equivalence, square

(perfect square), LCD, reduce (simplify), factors, multiples, term, coefficient, like
terms, expand, distribute, binomial multiplication, similar figures.

Grade 10
Application of all skills listed –multiplication, division, fluency with fractions, but
extended to:
Factoring polynomials –sum and product factoring requires being able to
identify factors of a product, both positive and negative possibilities, that sum to
a given quantity. This skill is applied throughout algebra, graphing, precalculus,
and calculus.
Ex: To factor 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 20 a student would look for factors of -20 that sum to -1.
These factors allow the student to determine the roots or x intercepts of the
function.

Powers and roots, including cube, fourth, fifth and 6th roots (requires
understanding of factors and prime factors), simplifying radicals (recognizing
multiples)

Ex: to simplify ∛54 a student would need to be familiar with perfect cubes and
recognize 54 as a multiple of 27.

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 Introducing vocabulary early

Research has shown the importance of explicitly

teaching vocabulary in math. We need to say
terms, encourage proper terminology in
mathematical dialog, and ensure that math
teaching teams through grades communicate to establish consistency and flow
of vocabulary from grade to grade.

In Grades 3, 4, and 5 as we introduce students to arrays, we use concrete

representations and visual models that are then translated to representations:

We write 𝟑 × 𝟓 = 𝟏𝟓 and 𝟓 × 𝟑 = 𝟏𝟓. As we introduce multiplication it is

important to immediately introduce the division facts: 𝟏𝟓 ÷ 𝟓 = 𝟑 and
𝟏𝟓 ÷ 𝟑 = 𝟓.
In our curriculum, these are called “related facts”. Our data shows that we
have students that are comfortable with multiplication facts but do not attempt
division questions. We can help with this by always connecting multiplication to
division.

Two numbers that multiply each other are called “factors”. The result is called a
“product”.
Students are used to decomposing numbers by addition: 10 = 2 + 8 or 6 + 4,
etc. Now they are seeing that we can decompose
numbers by factors.

Help students see that multiplication is “groups of”

15 is 5 “groups of” 3 or “groups of 5” (3 and 5 are
factors of 15. 15 is a multiple of 3, and a multiple of 5. 15 is divisible by 3 and by
5, etc)

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Or

15 is 5 groups of 3 (random arrangement). 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 5. Multiplication is

a shorter way of writing repeated addition (mathematical connection).

Ask: Does it matter in what order we multiply our factors? (No. This is called the
“commutative property” of multiplication.
Is division commutative? Is addition? Subtraction?)
To “commute” to work means I live in one place and work in another. I trade
places. The commutative property of addition and multiplication mean the
numbers can trade places and we do not change the value. Helping students
see mathematical terminology connected to other things they understand and
other subject areas is a mathematical connection (one of our mathematical
processes) and is called teaching “generative vocabulary”—showing where
words come from. This is the most effective form of vocabulary instruction.

“Mathematics presents challenging reading

because this content area has more
concepts per word, per sentence, and per
paragraph than any other area” (Harmon,
Hedrick, & Wood, 2005).

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A note about Division: Did you know there are two kinds of division? No wonder
our kids get confused!

Partitive division: Means “equal sharing”. In this type of division we state the
number of groups first, and determine how many elements are in each group:
Ex: share 12 cookies equally onto four plates:
12 ÷ 4 = 3
3 means the number of cookies in each group/plate

Number
of groups

Number
of items
in each
group

But wait!
Quotative Division: I have 24 horseshoes left. How many horses can I shoe?
Each horse needs four shoes:

So now I’m looking for how many groups of 4 are in 24? I’ve already
designated how many elements are in each group; my answer this time is how
many groups.

24 ÷ 4 = 6

Number
of items Number
in each of groups
group

Mathematically, there is no difference, but contextually it’s a huge difference!

We need to clarify this for students. Sometimes in division I say how many groups
we need, you tell me how many items in each group. But sometimes I say how
many items are in a group, and you tell me how many groups of that size I can
make out of a given number.
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In grade 5, students are making arrays, studying strategies for multiplication
(doubling, doubling twice to multiply by four, doubling three times to multiply by
8)

If I double something three times that’s X 2, X 2,and X2 again

2 × 2 × 2 = 8.
Students learn to multiply by ten. Multiplying by 5 is multiplying by ten and taking
half.

Building fluency
We can list multiplication facts by listing multiples which is skip counting (also
connects to repeated addition). Skip counting builds fluency in multiplication.

We can work directly on fact fluency by practicing a little bit frequently, and
using spaced practice. Do not time practice.

There are lots of games that build multiplication fluency! It’s easy to find games
on line, but face to face games are important, as there is a social aspect to
learning, kids share strategies, they can use concrete manipulatives, and most
kids have enough screen time before they get to us.

Multiplication fact fluency is something easy that parents can help support at
home.

Don’t forget to continually teach the corresponding division facts when doing
multiplication.

One of the best ways to build fluency and flexible reasoning is through Number
Talks. If you’re not familiar with these, contact your ILC!

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Introducing Factoring –Grade 6

Rainbow method:
https://youtu.be/vqYhXDFuF0M

The advantages of this method are :

-shows ALL the factors, in order
-highlights square numbers (they’ll have 2 identical factors in the middle)

This method does not show prime factors

Prime factorization:
This is an important skill, and will be useful in high school algebra.
Tree method:
https://youtu.be/tW97UU01ShY

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An older prime factorization method (not shown in MMS books)
https://youtu.be/5HCrfzSC0FM

Some students like this better. It’s more orderly, and arguably quicker.

A note about vocabulary:

Note that we already need to know “prime” from “composite” numbers.

A great way to introduce prime numbers, composite numbers, and factors is

using arrays.

Give students square tiles or counters, or ask them to draw lines on graph paper.
How many rectangles can you make with area of 12 square units? Note that this
shows all the factors of 12.

Or

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Now how many rectangles can we make with area = 7?

Only one—a 1 X 7 array.

7 is prime. There is only one array for 7.

Even more confusing vocabulary with division:

Ever hear of the “goes-intos”? https://youtu.be/1H8e0MMwUec

Sometimes we say to students “well five “goes into” twenty” or we ask “how
many times does five “go into” twenty but we never explain what we mean.

More correctly, we say “twenty is divisible by five” or “how many groups of five
are in twenty”.

If we use “goes into”, which is slang, let’s explain what we mean. They’re going
to hear division spoken about this way, but no text would ever use this language.

Furthermore, once we get to long division, the language of the algorithm

confuses students, because we tend to read left to right (though in math it is
sometimes necessary to read both ways, which makes the teaching of
inequality signs troublesome).

So if we say “352 divided by 4” some students will set up the algorithm like this

because they are recording what we say, left

to right.

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Similarly, some people read the algorithm as “four
into 352”

without explaining that slang terminology to kids—that “four into 352” means 352
divided by four.

Ask these questions:

“Is 4 a factor of 352?” “How do you know?”
“Is 352 divisible by four?” “Is 352 a multiple of 4?”

Be sure to ask the questions often, also when the remainder isn’t zero.
Ask for the related multiplication fact.
Teach the vocabulary divisor, dividend, quotient, remainder by labeling the
algorithm

Use these words as often as possible, across grades, to ensure students

understand the meaning of the words. Make anchor charts with visual
definitions of the words, labeled algorithms, etc.

Here are examples of anchor charts/posters

This is slang! But if we’re going to
say it, we better define it

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Why are prime factors useful?

We can find prime factors of anything, and use them to find the least common
multiple (LCM) and greatest common factor (GCF)

https://watch.screencastify.com/v/oVTndNLaTtHWntWOGexa

Prime factors are also useful for determining roots

https://watch.screencastify.com/v/ntaZ9dsvy0mEv7ujxksn

Another handy anchor chart

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Recognizing Multiples

Even when students are fluent with multiplication and division facts, can find
factors and determine common multiples, a weakness lies in recognizing
36
common multiples. In other words, presented with a fraction like , many of
60
our students are unable to recognize the numerator and denominator as
multiples of 12.

When it comes to fractions, students get by, because they may reduce this
piece by piece:

So they may recognize the common factor of 6, and then 2, or some students
may do 2, then 2 again, then 3. We need to make sure to point out to students
that if the numbers were divisible by 6 then 2, or 2,2,then 3, they must have been
divisible by 12. So students find common factors, but not greatest common
factors, which is less efficient. Some students struggle even to recognize both
numbers as even, and therefore divisible by 2—or they stop before they remove
all the common factors.

16
Recognizing multiples is required in other areas:
In grade 10 a student may struggle to graph or find intercepts of a linear
function like 4𝑥 + 8𝑦 + 40 = 0 when it is expected that Being able to find
they would divide out a common factor of 4. A student multiples is not the
may try to factor a trinomial like 6𝑥 2 − 30𝑥 − 84, which is same as being able to
very difficult unless they remove the GCF of 6. recognize common
multiples.
Similarly, a student may need to recognize the
radicand, 24, in √24 as a multiple of 8 in order to
3

simplify the term to 2√3 .

3

Grade 7: Divisibility rules:

In this outcome, students learn the rule of divisibility by 2,3,4,5,6,9 and 10. In our
curriculum this seems like a skill taught in isolation. We need to connect this
learning to the bigger idea
of factors and multiples.
Most importantly, this
outcome is getting at
recognizing multiples, which
is often where skills crash.
Not only that, the “Divisibility
Rules” outcome is often
taught as a “One-hit
Wonder”—something kids
memorize for one unit of
study, then forget, because
we don’t point out for them
enough how often we apply
them. We can strengthen student fluency by linking divisibility rules to
multiplication and recognizing multiples when working with fractions, then later
roots and algebra.
Divisibility Rules = recognizing multiples and finding multiplication strategies!

When we say “numbers divisible by 5” do students know that is the same as

saying “multiples of 5”?

Students don’t study divisibility rules until Grade 7, but we can give them sneak
peaks ahead of time to help them! Usually by Grade 5, students can tell you that
numbers that are multiples of ten (or numbers that can be divided by 10/are

17
divisible by ten) end in zero. Numbers divisible by 5 end in 5 or 0. They should know
that even numbers end in 2,4,6,8, or 10, but probably have not heard the
language that “even numbers” are divisible by 2. This is part of our work to
strengthen the vocabulary around factors and multiples up through the grades.

Do students have an understanding of what it means if a number is “divisible” by

another number?

Numbers divisible by 3 have digits that sum to 3. This is true of multiples of 9 also.

Ask students: Are numbers divisible by ten also divisible by 5? Always or

sometimes? Or never? Are they divisible by 2? Always/sometimes/never?
Are they also divisible by 3? Always/sometimes/never.

Understanding that numbers divisible 10 are also divisible by 5 and 2 helps us

with multiplication strategies: An easy way to multiply something by 5 is to
multiply it by ten then take half. What is 18 x 5? Take 18 X 10 which is 180, and
cut that in half: 90.

Are numbers that are multiples of four also multiples of two? Yes, twice! So a
strategy for multiplying by 4 is to double the number and double it again.

For example: 16 × 4
Double 16 which is 32, double it again which is 64. Why? Because
16 × 4 is the same as 16 × 2 × 2

Are multiples of four always even numbers??

How can I look at a large number and know if it is divisible by 4?

Ex, 65 532 is divisible by 4. Why?

Similarly, eight is 2 × 2 × 2 so multiplying by 8 is double, double, double.

How do I know if something is divisible by 6? Well, 6 is built of 2 × 3, so if it’s an

even number (multiple of 2) and divisible by 3 (digits sum to 3) then it is divisible
by 6. The number 8 322 is divisible by 6. 8 + 3 + 2 + 2+= 15 (which is divisible by
3, but if you didn’t know you could keep adding digits: 1 + 5 = 6, divisible by 3)
AND 8 322 is even (divisible by 2) so therefore divisible by 6.
Numbers divisible by 9 have digits that sum to 9, but also, its easy to reveal the
pattern to the 9 times table, up to 9 × 9.

18
https://watch.screencastify.com/v/lsF910miDHDMP4azJS0m

If you’re interested, 7 has a pattern also. Take any number: double the
last digit, subtract it from the remaining digits: If the answer is a multiple
of 7, then the original number is a multiple of 7. For example, 455.
Take the last digit, 5, and double it, which is 10. Subtract that from the
other two digits: 45 – 10 is 35, and 35 is divisible by 7, so 455 is divisible
by 7. This is not something students really need to learn or memorize,
but interesting. It doesn’t help us multiply by 7.

19
 We teach students to generate multiples,
by skip counting or multiplication
strategies, but there is very little practice
with recognizing multiples, which
becomes a stumbling block

See resources in this kit that help students recognize multiples/common factors

Grade 8: Multiplying fractions:

Of course we want to point students to efficient methods, so canceling out

factors before multiplying is the best approach.

If students do not recognize these common factors and eliminate them before
multiplying, they are left with

…and then need to try to reduce

that. Yuck.

(This may require a conversation about what constitutes

“one term” and what does not.)

https://watch.screencastify.com/v/Fm2CuqL6Ij5VyF4SENZz

20
 Vocabulary

Factor Multiple Prime Composite Divisible

Multiply Divide Common Factor Common Multiple

Greatest Common Factor Least Common Multiple

Lowest Common Denominator

Product Quotient Divisor Dividend Remainder Factorization

Prime Factors Decompose Algorithm

Grade 4 and 5: Strengthen vocabulary around “factor, multiple, divisible”. Use

arrays to point out commutative property, and to link multiplication to division.
This is accompanied by language: if 4 X 5 = 20 then 4 is a factor of 20, and so is
5. 20 is a multiple of 4 and a multiple of 5. 20 is divisible by both 4 and 5,and so
on.
Grade 5: Long division requires fluency in division and multiples. Strengthen
language around the remainder—if zero remainder, then the divisor is a factor
of the dividend, and the dividend is a multiple of both the divisor and the
quotient, and the opposite if the remainder is not zero.
21
Grade 6: Vocabulary around multiples, common multiples, factors, common
factors. When “simplifying” fractions (writing equivalent fractions and choosing
the one in lowest terms) use vocabulary “common factors in numerator and
denominator”, “both are divisible by the same number”, etc. Factoring and
prime factoring outcome can be reintroduced throughout the year. Provide
spaced practice.
When changing mixed fractions to improper fractions and vice versa, we can
connect to division (fractions as a way of writing division) and long division with
remainder an alternative way to creating mixed fractions (remainder over
divisor).
Grade 7: Divisibility rules are ways of recognizing common factors, and also
support strategies for multiplication. Strengthen mental math and flexible
reasoning. Review factoring algorithms and how factors determine divisibility
rules. We can strengthen this outcome by making strong connections and
applications to working with fractions: reducing fractions (aka eliminating
common factors), and finding common denominators (aka least common
multiples of denominators).
Grade 8: Efficiently reducing fractions by eliminating common factors before
multiplying. Common multiples are part of ratios and rates, similar figures and
scale factor.

Helpful Videos

3 minutes 45 seconds Shows how to use prime factors to generate LCM and
GCF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtkjbVb3Zv8

2 minutes 20 seconds Using ladder method to find LCM and GCF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W8SeYgZcMo
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 6 minutes 53 seconds Finding factors, LCM and GCF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4MG3m5uJQg

6 minutes 17 seconds. Divisibility rules, factors and

multiples. Math Antics video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NvLtTwnUHs

Resources:
Book Open Questions Number Strand by Marian Small

Factors and multiples game https://slideplayer.com/slide/12547402/

Factors and Multiples

Juniper Green http://manghammath.com/Activities/Juniper%20Green.pdf

How to play:
https://themathbehindthemagic.wordpress.com/2021/02/26/juniper-
green/#:~:text=To%20play%20Juniper%20Green%2C%20you,of%20the%20previo
us%20player's%20choice.
Cool Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lznNx04mUrE

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Online practice
Recognizing multiples!!!! https://www.topmarks.co.uk/times-tables/coconut-
multiples

GCF
https://mrnussbaum.com/greatest-common-factor-online
https://www.mathmammoth.com/practice/gcf
https://www.mathgames.com/skill/6.52-greatest-common-factors-gcf
Love this one https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/math/fractions/greatest-
common-factor-game/

LCM
https://www.mathgames.com/skill/6.53-least-common-multiples-lcm
https://mathkite.com/least-common-multiple-lcm/
https://mrnussbaum.com/least-common-multiple-online

From Nrich https://nrich.maths.org/factorsandmultiples

Recognizing Multiples
https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/math/multiples/catch-the-stars/

Printable in-person games

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ2qsDw_g7E this is a printable game,
video how to play it

Another in person game https://occupymath.wordpress.com/2019/11/14/the-

multiple-game/
The Product Game: https://connectedmath.msu.edu/covid-19-cmp-
resources/resources-for-families/math-games/product-game/
How to play the product game video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-
FZ2Boug9s
A collection of rich tasks https://mrbartonmaths.com/topics/number-
skills/factors-multiples-and-primes/richtasks.html

Multitrap: Printable paper pencil game

https://mathcurious.com/2021/01/27/multi-trap-multipication-facts-multiples-
factors/
Multitrap google slides
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1iMcE5iOkjuyUdXvXy1nyxDZrJNvDm1z4
YIZ0Sx49hjo/edit#slide=id.gb930cebdfa_0_385

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Practice

Identifying multiples online worksheet

https://study.com/skill/practice/identifying-multiples-questions.html
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?q=factors%20and%20multiples

https://www.multiplication.com/our-blog/jen-wieber/buzz-plus-number-game
https://calculate.org.au/2020/08/11/there-are-better-games-than-buzz/

https://helpingwithmath.com/worksheet/understanding-factors-and-multiples/

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Circle all the multiples 8. Put a triangle around all the multiples of 3. What do you notice?

22 35 32 100 42

72 4 14 5 16

21 30 104 18 32

17 60 8 36 9

70 12 24 26 20

28 16 48 88 52

64 15 48 27 90

70 63 24 3 8

26
Teacher Version Circle all the multiples 8. Put a triangle around all the multiples of 3. What do you
notice?

22 35 32 100 42

72 4 14 5 16

21 30 104 18 32

17 60 8 36 9

70 12 24 26 20

28 16 48 88 52

64 15 48 27 90

70 63 24 3 8
Students will notice that numbers with both circles and triangles are multiples
of 24. Do 3 and 8 share any common factors? What is their least common
multiple?
27
Circle all the multiples 6. Put a triangle around all the multiples of 4. What do
you notice?

10 9 8 15 27

81 6 14 30 24

22 48 82 77 19

35 57 3 12 38

100 18 16 61 42

20 44 46 11 23

21 50 7 32 41

36 65 53 62 28

28
 Teacher version Circle all the multiples 6. Put a triangle around all the multiples
of 4. What do you notice?

10 9 8 15 27

81 6 14 30 24

22 48 82 77 19

35 57 3 12 38

100 18 16 61 42

20 44 46 11 23

21 50 7 32 41

36 65 53 62 28
Students will notice that some numbers have both a circle and rectangle. All numbers
indicated are even. Why is that? Do students remember the rule for multiples of 6 (even
numbers whose digits sum to three) ? Do 4 and 6 share any common factors? The LCM
for 3 and 8 was their product, 24. What is the LCM for 4 and 6? Why is it not 24?
29
Circle all the multiples 8. Put a triangle around all the multiples of 3. What do
you notice?

8 32 15 80
16
64 58 20
33 56
5 35 42
31 45
12
40
90 4 28 8

32

30
Circle all the multiples five. Put a triangle around all the multiples of 3. What do
you notice?

27 15 6
78 22 23
24 20 81
205 9 38 35
100 44 15
60 110
51 150 30 52 39
33 45 72

31
Circle all the multiples 4. Put a triangle around all the multiples of 3. What do
you notice?

22 35 32 100 42

102 4 14 5 16

21 30 104 18 54

17 60 8 36 9

70 12 45 26 20

28 6 40 88 52

82 15 48 27 90

70 63 24 3 44

32
Teacher Version Circle all the multiples four. Put a triangle around all the
multiples of 3. What do you notice?

22 35 32 100 42
102 4 14 5 16
21 30 104 18 54
17 60 8 36 9
70 12 45 26 20
28 6 40 88 52
82 15 48 27 90
70 63 24 3 44

Students should recognize that numbers that were both circled and triangle
are multiples of both four and three and therefore 12. Have them list multiples
of 12 if they don’t pick this up
Did they recall that numbers divisible by three have digits that sum to a
multiple of three?
Have them highlight all the multiples of two. Do they notice that all multiples
33
of two are also multiples of four? Why is that? (use partial product to
demonstrate)
Did they recall that all numbers greater than 100 that end in two digits divisible
by four are divisible by four?
34
35
Object of the Game
To get four squares in a row—vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

How to Play
1. To begin the game, Player 1 moves a marker (green square) to a number in the factor list
of numbers 1-9 along the bottom of the game screen.
2. Player 2 then moves the other marker (green square) to any number in the factor list
(including the number marked by Player 1). The product of the two marked numbers is
determined, and that product is colored red for Player 2.
3. Player 1 moves either marker to another number, and the new product is colored blue for
Player 1.
4. Players take turns moving a marker, and each product is marked red or blue, depending
on which player made the product. However, if a product is already colored, the player
does not get a square for that turn.
5. Play continues until one player wins, or until all squares have been colored.

Credit
This Product Game Investigation was adapted with permission and guidance from Prime Time:
Factors and Multiples, Connected Mathematics Project, G. Lappan, J. Fey, W Fitzgerald, S. Friel
and E. Phillips, Dale Seymour Publications (1996), pp. 17-25.

Exploration
Questions for Students

• Why did you pick <#> as your first product to play? Is there a better product you could have
placed on the board?
• How many moves are your playing offensively vs. defensively? Can you make a move that is
both?
• What factor(s) is(are) your favorite, and why?
• What factors give the most play options? Why do you think so?

36
37
For flash cards: Print the following pages 1 – 4
double sided and cut out

Game suggestions: Keep score. If player

correctly identifies GCF they add that quantity
to their score. If they fail to identify a factor, or
identify a factor that is not greatest, opponent
gets the points.

Could also single side this and play as bingo

38
24 27 42 12
36 36 70 20
20 35 26 81
8 50 39 36
51 52 48 30
34 39 18 66
24 21 28 45
42 70 35 60

39
4 7 9 12

9 13 5 4

6 6 13 17

15 7 7 6

40
24 15 20 12
28 36 70 33
20 35 13 81
36 10 39 90
51 52 12 32
21 8 18 20
24 22 99 32
16 70 55 60

41
3 10 3 2

9 13 5 4

4 6 4 3

4 11 2 8

42