Multiplication Array

Choose a mode

Count how many fruits are in the array (rows × columns). Use the − / + buttons or drag up to enter the total, press 'Slice' to see it row by row, then press Check

3D math game · Best for grades 2-3

Multiplication Array

Multiplication Array builds the most important mental model for multiplication: a rectangular grid. Students count a field of fruits arranged in rows and columns, then press Slice to see the array cut row by row — the exact moment a grid turns into repeated addition, and repeated addition turns into one multiplication fact.

What students practice

Multiplication Array establishes the commutative property and the area model simultaneously. Seeing that a 3×4 array and a 4×3 array hold the same 12 fruits makes commutativity self-evident, and the rectangular structure prepares students directly for area calculations in geometry.

  1. Look at the fruit array and count the rows and columns displayed.
  2. Use −/+ buttons or drag upward to enter your total.
  3. Press Slice to watch the array cut apart row by row, showing each row's contribution.
  4. Confirm that rows × columns equals your total, then press Check.

How to use it at home or in class

A 5-row, 6-column orange grove holds 30 oranges. Pressing Slice shows five groups of 6 peeling away one at a time: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30. Students see multiplication as efficient counting rather than a memorised fact.

Students sometimes count individual fruits rather than reading rows × columns, and may miss that the same total appears whether they count rows first or columns first. The Slice animation makes the grouping strategy concrete and rewards the correct approach.

Use it for individual practice, paired work, or a short class demonstration before worksheets.

Start with the game above, then continue with written practice to reinforce the skill.

Common questions

Which grades is Multiplication Array designed for?
Grades 2–3, where students first encounter multiplication as repeated addition and need the array model before moving to memorised times tables.
How is this different from Factris?
Multiplication Array presents a fixed grid and asks students to find the total. Factris gives the total and asks students to find which widths form a valid rectangle — it inverts the array model to build factor intuition.
Does the game teach the commutative property explicitly?
Not through labelling, but implicitly: the same array can be counted as rows × columns or columns × rows, and the Slice animation can highlight either direction, sparking natural discussion.