Multiplication facts for two | Year 2

01 / LEARN

Understand the idea.

Every group is a pair

A pair contains two objects, so each new pair adds two to the total. Count $2, 4, 6, 8$ for one, two, three and four pairs. These totals are even: every object can be matched with a partner.

Build from a known fact

Build a new twos fact from one you know. Five pairs contain ten objects; six pairs contain two more, making twelve. Doubling also helps: two groups of seven total $7 + 7 = 14$ , the same total as seven pairs.

Pairs and totals
Pairs	1	2	3	4	5	6
Objects	2	4	6	8	10	12

02 / WORKED EXAMPLES

See the method in action.

EXAMPLE 01

Count seven pairs

There are 7 bicycles with 2 wheels each. How many wheels?

Worked solution

1
Count the wheels on five bicycles.
$5 \times 2 = 10$
Each bicycle contributes one pair of wheels.
2
Count the wheels on the other two bicycles.
$2 \times 2 = 4$
Seven bicycles are five bicycles and two more.
3
Join the two wheel totals.
$10 + 4 = 14$
All seven bicycles are included, so there are fourteen wheels.

Answer

14 wheels.

EXAMPLE 02

Use a known fact

You know 8 pairs make 16. How many objects are in 9 pairs?

Worked solution

1
Find how many pairs are added.
$9 - 8 = 1$
Nine pairs have one extra pair compared with eight pairs.
2
Add the two objects in that pair.
$16 + 2 = 18$
One new pair increases the known total by two objects.

Answer

18 objects.

03 / YOUR TURN

Try it yourself.

Check your understanding

Find 2 × 6.

Show answer & reasoning

Two groups of six give $6 + 6 = 12$ , so $2 \times 6 = 12$ . Counting six pairs also reaches the same total.

Keep practising

6 worksheet questions

Open worksheet Worked solutions

Read the questions online

Find $2 \times 3$ .
Find $2 \times 5$ .
Find $2 \times 8$ .
Ten children each need 2 gloves. How many gloves?
There are 12 shoes arranged in pairs. How many pairs?
Explain how $2 \times 4$ helps you find $2 \times 5$ .

Read the worked solutions

Find $2 \times 3$ .
$2 + 2 + 2 = 6$ .
6
Find $2 \times 5$ .
Five pairs contain 10 objects.
10
Find $2 \times 8$ .
Double 8 is 16.
16
Ten children each need 2 gloves. How many gloves?
Ten groups of 2 make 20.
20 gloves.
There are 12 shoes arranged in pairs. How many pairs?
6 groups of 2 make 12.
6 pairs.
Explain how $2 \times 4$ helps you find $2 \times 5$ .
The fifth group adds 2 to the total.
$2 \times 4 = 8$ ; add one more pair to get 10.

Checking saved progress…

Curriculum reference & lesson scope

Australian Curriculum v9 and SA Curriculum Mathematics

Equal groups; arrays; repeated addition; sharing/grouping; twos facts; doubling and halving.

Official curriculum source ↗

In this lesson

Understand the idea.

Every group is a pair

Build from a known fact

See the method in action.

Count seven pairs

Count the wheels on five bicycles.

Count the wheels on the other two bicycles.

Join the two wheel totals.

Use a known fact

Find how many pairs are added.

Add the two objects in that pair.

Try it yourself.

Check your understanding

Keep practising