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Identify multiplication patterns

Multiplication patterns describe how products change when a factor changes in a regular way, including the effects of multiplying whole numbers and decimals by 10, 100, and 1,000, and the roles of factors such as 0 and 1. The learner interprets these patterns through place value, equations, tables, and multiples, understanding that multiplying by powers of ten shifts each digit’s value rather than merely “adding zeros”; formal algebraic generalization beyond these numerical cases is not included.

Detailed Explanation: Identify multiplication patterns

When a factor is multiplied by 1010, 100100, or 1,0001{,}000, the value of every digit shifts to a larger place-value position.

  • Multiplying by 1010 shifts each digit 1 place left.
  • Multiplying by 100100 shifts each digit 2 places left.
  • Multiplying by 1,0001{,}000 shifts each digit 3 places left.

This changes the value of the digits; it is not just “adding zeros.”

Worked example

Complete the pattern:

4.27×1,4.27×10,4.27×100,4.27×1,0004.27 \times 1,\quad 4.27 \times 10,\quad 4.27 \times 100,\quad 4.27 \times 1{,}000

Start with 4.274.27.

  1. Multiplying by 11 does not change the number:

4.27×1=4.27 4.27 \times 1 = 4.27
  1. Multiplying by 1010 shifts each digit 1 place left:

4.27×10=42.7 4.27 \times 10 = 42.7
  1. Multiplying by 100100 shifts each digit 2 places left:

4.27×100=427 4.27 \times 100 = 427
  1. Multiplying by 1,0001{,}000 shifts each digit 3 places left:

4.27×1,000=4,270 4.27 \times 1{,}000 = 4{,}270

The completed pattern is:

4.27,42.7,427,4,2704.27,\quad 42.7,\quad 427,\quad 4{,}270

Notice that each time the number is multiplied by another factor of 1010, every digit becomes worth 10 times as much. Also, multiplying by 00 always gives 00:

4.27×0=04.27 \times 0 = 0

Learn by doing: Identify multiplication patterns

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Multiplication - Decimal Tenths by Hundreds


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