Factor Pairs & Commutativity · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Factor Pairs and Switching the Order

Mathematics · Multiplication & Division · ages 8-9
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Which product equals 7 x 4?

    • 4 + 7
    • 4 x 6
    • 4 x 7
    • 7 - 4

  2. Which of these is a factor pair of 16?

    • 3 and 5
    • 2 and 8
    • 4 and 6
    • 2 and 7

  3. Which pair of numbers multiplies to make 12?

    • 3 and 4
    • 3 and 5
    • 2 and 7

  4. A factor pair is two numbers that multiply together to make a certain number.

    Circle one:   True   False

  5. Zoe says 8 x 3 gives the same answer as 3 x 8 because the order does not matter. Is Zoe right?

    Circle one:   True   False

  6. Which way of splitting helps you solve 6 × 15 in your head?

    • 6 × 10 × 5, since 10 × 5 = 15
    • 6 × 5 × 3, since 5 × 3 = 15
    • 6 × 7 × 8, since 7 × 8 = 15

  7. Which list shows ALL the factor pairs of 20?

    • 1 x 20, 2 x 10, 4 x 6
    • 2 x 10, 4 x 5, 5 x 5
    • 1 x 20, 2 x 10, 4 x 5
    • 1 x 20, 2 x 10, 5 x 5

  8. What is 9 x 4?

    Answer: ______________

  9. To multiply 4 × 15, Mia splits it into 4 × 5 × 3 and gets 60. Did Mia do it correctly?

    • No, because 5 + 3 does not equal 15
    • No, because you cannot split a number into a factor pair
    • Yes, because 5 × 3 = 15, so 4 × 5 × 3 is the same as 4 × 15

  10. Nina says she can work out 5 x 9 by swapping it to 9 x 5 because she knows the 9s better. Does commutativity let her do this?

    Circle one:   True   False

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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Factor Pairs and Switching the Order W1-mt_nZkL5-XjRX-s1

  1. 4 x 7 · Four times seven is twenty-eight, the same as seven times four.
  2. 2 and 8 · Two times eight is sixteen, so 2 and 8 are a factor pair of 16.
  3. 3 and 4 · 3 × 4 = 12, so 3 and 4 are a factor pair of 12.
  4. True · That is exactly what a factor pair is, like 4 and 6 for 24.
  5. True · Eight times three and three times eight both equal 24.
  6. 6 × 5 × 3, since 5 × 3 = 15 · 15 = 5 × 3, so 6 × 15 = 6 × 5 × 3 = 30 × 3 = 90. The other splits don't actually multiply to 15.
  7. 1 x 20, 2 x 10, 4 x 5 · The factor pairs of 20 are 1 x 20, 2 x 10 and 4 x 5.
  8. 36 · Nine times four is thirty-six, the same as four times nine.
  9. Yes, because 5 × 3 = 15, so 4 × 5 × 3 is the same as 4 × 15 · 15 = 5 × 3, so 4 × 5 × 3 equals 4 × 15. Mia's shortcut of 20 × 3 = 60 is correct.
  10. True · Commutativity lets you swap 5 x 9 to 9 x 5; both equal 45.
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