Love Home Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 I’m wondering if it’s worth teaching the terms multiplier and multiplicand. In R&S math 4x9 would be 4(multiplier) and 9(multiplicand) when written horizontally but when written vertically they write 9 (the multiplicand) on the top and 4 (multiplier) on the bottom. They would read the vertical number sentence as “4 times 9†instead of “9 times 4†- even though the 9 is on the top. I think this would confuse my dd as to which one would be the multiplicand and which one would be the multiplier in a vertically written multiplication sentence. I know that some other programs read these vertical sentences from top to bottom which adds to the confusion. Maybe I should just stick to factor x factor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Yes, it is. It's much easier to discuss which number you're talking about, whether the problem is vertical or horizontal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 I haven't taught the terms to my sons using R&S3 and haven't noticed a need for it. Who knows though, watch me see the need this week ;) We are in the 80s lesson wise currently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen. Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 I wondered about this. I had read a few different articles by math professors who simply state this question of yours to be of English and not math since the product will be the same whether you say multiplier first or multiplicand. I got the impression that for mathematicians this matter of semantics is so trivial that we should not waste our time either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I see no reason to teach this -- especially because imo it obfuscates the commutative property of multiplication by disguising the fact that 9x4 and 4x9 are the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Since multiplication is commutative, it makes no sense to me to introduce two different terms for the factors: there is nothing inherently different about them; one becomes the other as soon as you switch the problem around. I see no need to artificially introduce a difference where, mathematically, there is none. It is far more important that the student understands the commutative nature of multiplication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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