Multiply three or more numbers: word problems

Key notes :

✨ Key Points

• Multiplication with more than two numbers means multiplying step by step.
• Example: 2×3×42 \times 3 \times 42×3×4 = First multiply 2×3=62 \times 3 = 62×3=6, then 6×4=246 \times 4 = 246×4=24.
• Order does not matter in multiplication (commutative property).
• Example: 2×3×4=4×2×3=242 \times 3 \times 4 = 4 \times 2 \times 3 = 242×3×4=4×2×3=24.
• When solving word problems, identify:
• What is repeated or grouped?
• How many groups are there?
• Multiply step by step to get the total.

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📝 Steps to Solve Word Problems

• Read the problem carefully.
• Identify the numbers that need to be multiplied.
• Multiply two numbers first, then multiply the result by the next number(s).
• Write the answer with units (like chocolates, students, chairs, etc.).

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🔢 Examples

Example 1:
A box has 4 rows of trays. Each row has 3 trays. Each tray has 6 apples.
How many apples are there in total?

👉 Multiply step by step: 4×3=12(trays)4 \times 3 = 12 \quad (\text{trays})4×3=12(trays) 12×6=72(apples)12 \times 6 = 72 \quad (\text{apples})12×6=72(apples)

✅ Answer: There are 72 apples.

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Example 2:
A school has 5 classrooms. Each classroom has 4 rows of benches. Each row has 3 benches. Each bench seats 2 students.
How many students can sit in total?

👉 Multiply step by step: 5×4=20(rows of benches)5 \times 4 = 20 \quad (\text{rows of benches})5×4=20(rows of benches) 20×3=60(benches)20 \times 3 = 60 \quad (\text{benches})20×3=60(benches) 60×2=120(students)60 \times 2 = 120 \quad (\text{students})60×2=120(students)

✅ Answer: 120 students can sit in the school.

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🎯 Practice Word Problems

• A farmer has 3 fields. Each field has 5 rows of mango trees. Each row has 8 trees. How many trees in total?
• A shop sells juice in 6 boxes. Each box has 4 packs. Each pack has 3 bottles. How many bottles in total?
• A parking lot has 2 floors. Each floor has 5 rows of parking. Each row has 10 cars. How many cars can park in total?

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✅ Remember: Always multiply step by step and keep track of the unit (apples, benches, bottles, etc.).

Learn with an example

Let’s practice!