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What you'll learn

  • Why any number times 0 is 0, and times 1 stays the same
  • Why dividing by 1 keeps a number and dividing by itself gives 1
  • Using 6 × 7 = 42 to work out 6 × 70
  • That multiplication is commutative: 3 × 4 = 4 × 3
  • How to find every factor pair of a number in order
  • How to multiply three numbers by choosing an easy pair first

Chapter by chapter

  1. Multiply by 0 and 1 Free to try

    Year 4 maths · 1

  2. Divide by 1 and divide a number by itself

    Year 4 maths · 1

  3. Use times tables to multiply and divide tens and hundreds

    Year 4 maths · 1

  4. Multiply in any order and find factor pairs

    Year 4 maths · 2

  5. Multiply three numbers together

    Year 4 maths · 1 Year 4 maths · 2

  6. Use factor pairs to make multiplying easier

    Year 4 maths · 2 Year 4 maths · 1

  7. Master Baker Challenge: mixed mental maths (10 questions)

See every Maths chapter in the chapter library

What the chapters cover in the national curriculum in England:

  1. Year 4 maths: Use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally, including: multiplying by 0 and 1; dividing by 1; multiplying together 3 numbers
  2. Year 4 maths: Recognise and use factor pairs and commutativity in mental calculations

About this adventure

Mental Maths Bakery is an interactive Year 4 mental maths game that teaches children aged 8–10 to multiply and divide in their head using place value, known facts and factor pairs. It follows the national curriculum for England.

Chef Crumble guides players as they fill plates, pack gift boxes and stack cupcake trays. A hungry mouse shows why any number times 0 is 0, sharing cookies into boxes shows why 8 ÷ 1 = 8 and 8 ÷ 8 = 1, and boxes of ten show how 4 × 3 = 12 becomes 4 × 30 = 120. Children spin trays to see commutativity (2 × 6 = 6 × 2) and split numbers into factor pairs, so 16 × 5 becomes 8 × 2 × 5.

Spoken hints target common mistakes, such as thinking 6 × 0 = 6, and an optional warm-up recaps fact families.

Questions and answers

What is 6 × 0, and why?

Any number multiplied by 0 is 0, so 6 × 0 = 0. It means 6 groups with nothing in each group, which is nothing at all. Children often mix it up with adding, because 6 + 0 = 6.

What is a factor pair, in simple words?

A factor pair is two whole numbers that multiply to make a number. For 12 the factor pairs are 1 and 12, 2 and 6, and 3 and 4. Starting with 1 and working upwards in order helps children find them all.

How do you multiply by a multiple of 10 in your head?

Use a times table fact, then think in tens. Because 4 × 3 = 12, 4 × 30 is 12 tens, which is 120. The digits move one place to the left, rather than simply having a zero added on.

What age is this mental maths game for?

It is made for Year 4 children aged 8 to 9, following the national curriculum for England. Children aged 10 can use it to revise, and it works best once they know most of their times tables.

What does the game include and how long does it take?

The game has six chapters, an optional warm-up and a ten-question final challenge, taking about 45 minutes in total. Each chapter takes around six to eight minutes, so it can be played in short sessions.

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