mental multiplication

Mental multiplication involves calculating the product of numbers in your mind without writing them down. It uses strategies like breaking numbers into more manageable parts (decomposition), recognizing patterns (like squares or common multiples), and applying the distributive property. For example, multiplying 23 by 4 can be thought of as (20 + 3) × 4, which equals (20 × 4) + (3 × 4) = 80 + 12 = 92. Developing mental multiplication skills improves with practice, enabling quicker calculations and supporting overall numerical understanding.