Big Ideas: Decomposing factors based on place value and applying the distributive property is a reliable strategy for solving multiplication problems involving multi-digit numbers.
In this lesson, students work with decomposing multi-digit numbers into place value parts as a strategy for simplifying multiplication problems. They then multiply those simpler problems and add up the partial products in order to find the total product. This strategy requires students to have a foundational understanding of properties of multiplication.
Vocabulary:
place value, factor, product, distributive property, decompose
Special Materials:
place value manipulative (optional)
Lesson plan