Difference between revisions of "Multiplication"

Revision as of 12:06, September 3, 2008

In its most elementary form multiplication is repeated addition of whole numbers or integers.

For example, <math>3\times 2 = 2 + 2 + 2</math>

The result of a multiplication is the product. The numbers which are multiplied together are called factors.

Multiplication is a commutative operation in that A <math>\times</math> B = B <math>\times</math> A.

For example <math>3\times 2 </math> (spoken as "three times two") is the sum of 3 + 3 = 6.

Several conventions are used to indicate multiplication.

For simple numbers, the symbol (<math>\times</math>) used looks much like the letter "X", as in the examples above.
Since the "X" looks like a letter, and letters are commonly used in algebra to indicate unknowns, or variables, the "dot" is frequently used: A  B = B  A.
Alternatively a period may be used to denote multiplication
Also, in algebraic use, quantities are simply juxtaposed to indicate that they are to be multiplied:

Y = 3aX + 4bZ

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 In its most elementary form '''multiplication''' is repeated [[addition]] of [[whole numbers]] or [[integers]].
 :For example, <big><math>3\times 2 = 2 + 2 + 2</math></big>
-In this example the numbers "2" and "3" are known as the ''[[factor]]s'' and the result of a multiplication is known as the ''[[product]]''.
+The result of a multiplication is the ''[[product]]''. The numbers which are multiplied together are called ''[[factor]]s''.
 Multiplication is a [[commutative]] operation in that A <big><math>\times</math></big> B = B <big><math>\times</math></big> A.