Multiplication Symbol

The only thing you can be sure of in this world is the table of Multiplication.

This famous quotation of L.M. Montgomery can only be true if the table of multiplication is written by someone who has complete knowledge of multiplication, multiplication signs, and multiplication symbols. Otherwise, it is a disaster. Isn’t it?

The importance of knowledge about multiplication, multiplication signs, its usage, how to type its signs in different software and programs, and codes of multiplication symbols can never be neglected in the modern world. In modern computer sciences, the term used for this type of knowledge is “Assembly Language” which comprises the knowledge of symbols and signs. The everyday increasing use of electronic gadgets for writing purposes has increased the significance of this knowledge by several hundred folds. Therefore, individuals of this age are required to have this knowledge in every field of life.

In this article, we will discuss all the aspects of multiplications from definitions to how to learn multiplication and so on.

What does Multiplication mean in Math?

Now that we’ve given you a brief about what multiplication is, let’s see how it is applied and used in Mathematics.

In the simplest of words, Multiplication of numbers is the repeated addition of the numbers. For example; adding the number 2 with itself two times will give us the number 4 and adding it another time, a third time, will give us the number 6. So, a total of three additions of the number 2 to itself gives us the number 3, which is the multiplication of 2 (the number) and 3 (number of repetitions of additions) as shown below;

number 2 add 3 time - All About Multiplication Symbol In other words, multiplication is the addition of equal groups several times. The addition of 2 number of apples three times with itself will increase the number of apples to six as shown below;

2 times 3 - All About Multiplication Symbol

Different Signs of Multiplication

Having identified the meaning of multiplication, let’s move on to the different ways of expressing multiplication and the different signs that can be used for multiplication.

There are different signs and symbols used to represent multiplication between two numbers or between a number of items. The use of these signs and symbols depends upon the medium that you are using for writing. Following are some important symbols and signs for multiplication;

× Times sign. This symbol, called “the times sign or the dimension sign,” is probably the very first symbol for multiplication that you were taught in primary school. This symbol is used in almost all mediums from typing on paper to typing on different word processing programs. E.g. 2×3=6

· Dot symbol. This symbol, called “dot,” is also used to represent multiplication. You probably came across this sign when you were in secondary school studying Algebra. E.g. 2·3=6

() Round brackets. “Parentheses,” the earliest use of this sign for multiplication was suggested by Christopher Clavius, a German mathematician. This is widely used in Algebra. E.g. (2)(3) = 6

No Symbol. In special cases of algebra when two variables are to be multiplied, we do not use any symbol of multiplication rather put the variables close to each other. For example; ab=c. Where a, b, and c are three different variables. E.g. ab = axb

* Asterisk symbol. As we know the cross symbol can not always be used to signify multiplication. It can cause confusion with the unknown variable ‘x’ in algebra. This is why the asterisk ‘*’ is used in algebra as well as programming languages to denote multiplication, as it closely represents the multiplication cross. You will find this sign in many calculator displays. E.g. 5*x = 5x

The process of Multiplication

Now that you’re aware of the different signs used for multiplication, let’s move on to the process of using these signs. The process to multiply numbers is a very simple one. There are several ways to multiply two numbers. The easiest and most common ones are listed below;

For example; multiply 12 with 3

Add 12 with 12 three times, will give us the answer which is 36.
Add a group of 12 items with 2 equal number of items I.e., 12. So, 12 apples +12 apples +12 apples=36

When to use the sign of Multiplication

With the knowledge of different multiplication signs, you also need to know the appropriate places to use them.

We use multiplication quite a lot of times during our everyday life. However, it is very essential to use proper multiplication signs in their required places and mediums. Different signs are used at different levels of working and education. We use multiplication signs when we need to increase the number of items by a certain amount.

For example; we use multiplication signs when we want to calculate the amount of money we make in a financial year while considering the amount of savings we make every month. Let’s say we save 1000 dollars every month and there are 12 months in a year. So, we multiply the figure 1000 (monthly saving) with 12 (number of months) which will give us 12000 dollars, the multiple of 1000 and 12.

How to type a Multiplication Sign

In the advanced technological era, we have a number of platforms to work on while making calculations. Each platform has a different way of accessing the multiplication sign. Let’s see the different ways to type the multiplication sign.

The typing of multiplication symbols on different mediums and word processing programs can be a difficult task if you are new to it. Following are the most common programs or mediums used for typing and explained how to type multiplication signs on them;

How to type multiplication sign on the keyboard

Times Sign

× First open Num Lock, then hold “Alt” and press 0215.

Alt + 0215 = ×.

How to type multiplication sign on the keyboard

Dot Symbol

· Open Num Lock first, then hold “Alt” and press 0183.

Alt + 0183= ·.

How to type multiplication sign on the keyboard

Asterisk Symbol

* Simply, hold the buttons “shift” and “8” at one time, or press the star key on the right side of keyboard directly.

How to type a Multiplication Sign in Mac

Times Sign

× Hold “Control,” “Command,” and “Space bar” all at one time to open Character Viewer. Then choose Math Symbols from the left, you can get the times sign from right.

How to type a Multiplication Sign in Mac

Dot Symbol

· Hold the buttons “option,” “shift,” and “9” all at one time to obtain the dot sign of multiplication. Option + Shift + 9= ·.

How to type a Multiplication Sign in Mac

Asterisk Symbol

* Simply, hold “shift” and “8” at one time.

Times Sign, Dot Symbol or Asterisk Symbol

How to type a Multiplication Sign in Word/Excel

You will see the tab “Insert” on the top left of your word screen, click on that. A row of different tabs will appear. You will see the tab “symbols” at the right side of the screen, select ”Latin-1 Supplement” subset, you can find the times sign “×” and dot symbol “·”. Choose “basic Latin” subset, you can get asterisk symbol.

How to type a Multiplication Sign in Phone
If you’re using your mobile phone to do multiplication, you will be able to use different signs available in your phone. In the “symbols” keyboard, you can find the dot “.”, asterisk “*”, and parenthesis “(“and “)”. You can also find the cross symbol “x” on your alphanumeric keyboard.

How to type a Multiplication Sign in Latex
In latex, you can use the command “/cdot” to type the multiplication sign “×”

Codes of Multiplication signs

At this point, you should have a basic understanding of multiplication. But in computer sciences and languages, there are character encoding standards according to which codes are assigned to different symbols and characters.

Unicode

U+00D7

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Alt Code

Alt 0215

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ASCII Code

215

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Hex Code

& #xd7;

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HTML Code

& #215;

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CSS Code

\00D7

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HTML Entity

& times;

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Block

Latin-1 Supplement

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How to learn Multiplication easily

The importance of multiplication is seen in every field of life. From the sciences to literature and from history to geography, almost every field of education requires a thorough understanding of the process of multiplication. Other than learning how multiplication works, it is important to know the different multiplication signs and symbols.

Additionally, it is also very essential that a modern-day individual should be aware of the different typing methods of the different multiplication signs. Therefore, we have come forward with some easy ways and methods to learn multiplication, its process, signs, and symbols.

Following are some tips and methods to learn multiplication easily;

Relate multiplication and addition

One of the most initial steps of understanding multiplication is to relate it to addition. For example, instead of multiplying 2 with three, add 2 with itself three times.

Order of the numbers does not matter

Always remember, unlike division and subtraction the order of the numbers doesn’t matter. You can multiply 2 with 3 or 3 with 2, both will give us the same result that is 3.

Memorize the multiplication tables

There are many easy ways to memories multiplication tables available over the internet. Learning multiplication tables while relating each table to addition will further make the process easy. Some common used times tables will be listed at next section.

Use examples from daily life

This can greatly enhance your multiplication learning process. According to studies, a learner of beginner level learns a subject 80% more easily when compared with everyday life.

Teach someone else

Always remember to share what you learn. It will boost the process of learning as the mind stores an image of the idea once it is taught to someone else.

Practice

“Practice makes a man perfect,” you must have heard this a lot in your life especially in middle school. Fortunately, this very statement is what made me a master of multiplication. Remember, always practise your multiplication skills whenever you get free time. Practising multiplication tables regularly will not just save you a lot of time but also will make your grip firmer on multiplication.

Multiplication Tables

After above section, you may know multiplication tables is very important for learning multiplication. Now we are going to list some common used times tables below.

1 Times Table

1 × 1 = 1
1 × 2 = 2
1 × 3 = 3
1 × 4 = 4
1 × 5 = 5
1 × 6 = 6
1 × 7 = 7
1 × 8 = 8
1 × 9 = 9
1 × 10 = 10

2 Times Table

2 × 1 = 2
2 × 2 = 4
2 × 3 = 6
2 × 4 = 8
2 × 5 = 10
2 × 6 = 12
2 × 7 = 14
2 × 8 = 16
2 × 9 = 18
2 × 10 = 20

3 Times Table

3 × 1 = 3
3 × 2 = 6
3 × 3 = 9
3 × 4 = 12
3 × 5 = 15
3 × 6 = 18
3 × 7 = 21
3 × 8 = 24
3 × 9 = 27
3 × 10 = 30

4 Times Table

4 × 1 = 4
4 × 2 = 8
4 × 3 = 12
4 × 4 = 16
4 × 5 = 20
4 × 6 = 24
4 × 7 = 28
4 × 8 = 32
4 × 9 = 36
4 × 10 = 40

5 Times Table

5 × 1 = 5
5 × 2 = 10
5 × 3 = 15
5 × 4 = 20
5 × 5 = 25
5 × 6 = 30
5 × 7 = 35
5 × 8 = 40
5 × 9 = 45
5 × 10 = 50

6 Times Table

6 × 1 = 6
6 × 2 = 12
6 × 3 = 18
6 × 4 = 24
6 × 5 = 30
6 × 6 = 36
6 × 7 = 42
6 × 8 = 48
6 × 9 = 54
6 × 10 = 60

7 Times Table

7 × 1 = 7
7 × 2 = 14
7 × 3 = 21
7 × 4 = 28
7 × 5 = 35
7 × 6 = 42
7 × 7 = 49
7 × 8 = 56
7 × 9 = 63
7 × 10 = 70

8 Times Table

8 × 1 = 8
8 × 2 = 16
8 × 3 = 24
8 × 4 = 32
8 × 5 = 40
8 × 6 = 48
8 × 7 = 56
8 × 8 = 64
8 × 9 = 72
8 × 10 = 80

9 Times Table

9 × 1 = 9
9 × 2 = 18
9 × 3 = 27
9 × 4 = 36
9 × 5 = 45
9 × 6 = 54
9 × 7 = 63
9 × 8 = 72
9 × 9 = 81
9 × 10 = 90

10 Times Table

10 × 1 = 10
10 × 2 = 20
10 × 3 = 30
10 × 4 = 40
10 × 5 = 50
10 × 6 = 60
10 × 7 = 70
10 × 8 = 80
10 × 9 = 90
10 × 10 = 100

FUN-FACTS

There are some fun facts of multiplication, if you know these, you can quickly calculate some multiplications.

Multiplication of any number, no matter how big, with zero will be zero. For example, 100000000 × 0 = 0

Multiplication of any number, no matter how big, with 1 will always be equal to that number. For example, 100000 × 1 = 100000

Multiplication of a number with any other number, except zero, will always be equal to or greater than that number.

For every multiplication there is a corresponding division. For example, if 2 × 3 = 6 then 6 ÷ 2 = 3 OR 6 ÷ 3 = 2.

Order of the numbers or digits does not matter. 2 × 3 and 3 × 2 both will give 6.

Multiplication is repetitive addition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Through the above content, you must have a deeper understanding of multiplication. Now we are going to list some common problems, so that you can avoid some mistakes.

1. Can I use the letter “x” instead of the symbol “×”?

It depends on how professional you want your content to appear to the views. Using the letter “X” instead of the symbol “×” is a matter of choice. While typing professional content, it is essential to use the symbol “×” instead of the letter “x.”
2. What is the difference between “×” and “X”?

The two are essentially very different from each other. The former is a symbol while the latter is a letter. You cannot use them interchangeably when you are writing a professional note. However, during writing your school course you can use them interchangeably as the difference is then not so evident.
3. Why are there different signs for multiplication?

There are different multiplication signs and multiplication symbols because they all have different uses. Simple mathematics use the symbol “×” for multiplication. But, higher levels of mathematics like Algebra and trigonometry require other signs of multiplication to be used. In still other cases, we do not use any symbol at all for example, when dealing with variables. In this case, the two variables are written or typed immediately adjacent to each other.
4. What is the importance of codes of multiplication?

Your computer and cell phone systems rely on these codes to process your command and perform the ultimate actions. This is called character coding or symbol coding and the study of it is called Assembly language. Character coding or symbol coding guides the system to transcribe zeros and ones into actual symbols or characters. Without this coding system, you wouldn’t be able to read this article on your smartphone or any computing gadget.
5. How easy is it to learn multiplication?

The process of multiplication is not as complicated as it was thought of you in your primary school. Following the above-mentioned steps and tips, it should be easy for you to learn multiplication in a week. Always remember, practice is the key.
6. Are long multiplication problems difficult?

Well, learning long multiplication is not difficult either. But remember, learning the basics of multiplications is the most important step towards solving long multiplication problems. If you know and understand the multiplication tables, the basic pillar of multiplication, solving long multiplication problems shouldn’t be a problem for you.

CONCLUSION

To conclude, you need to note that multiplication is one of the four pillars of arithmetic. Without these, it is not possible to enter professional life as it is required in every race of life. The signs of multiplications and their importance can never be neglected.

The multiplication signs, multiplication symbols, their uses in different levels of mathematics, their methods of typing in different word processing programs, and their application are of utmost importance. Multiplication signs can be very confusing sometimes, however, if you know the different levels that these are used in, understanding these signs and their application should not be a problem for you.

Additionally, it is not very difficult to learn the process of solving multiplication problems and remembering the different multiplication tables. By following the above-mentioned tips and guidelines, you should be able to thoroughly understand the processes, signs, symbols, and application of multiplication.

Other than that, the different coding languages that our modern gadgets use for them to function well are not very essential until and unless you are studying some kind of computer language. The different word processing programs that are used very commonly in everyday life offer different multiplication signs with some using “×” as their primary tool while some use Parentheses “()” as the primary multiplication symbols. In either case, modern age individuals must be aware of all the methods of typing multiplication signs in all the most commonly available word processing programs.