Single Digit Multiplication With Your Fingers If students have difficulty learning the math facts by heart, working out the facts with a little finger math might help. Students will usually master skip counting by 2's, 5's and 10's but are error prone skip counting for numbers other than 10 above 5.
 

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  • The first screen presents multiplying numbers above 5 by 3.
  • When you click on the hand, the fingers will be extended, the finger count is shown above the hand. Note the finger count is by 2's a number of times equal the second factor of the statement. (the extended thumb represents 5 to allow counting to 9 on one hand).
  • The product is tracked below the numerical statement.
  • When the finger count by 2's is completed, the hand is closed and the count is continued by 1's a number of times equal the second factor again.
  • On completing the count again the student arrives at the correct product.
  • To change the second factor click the Times (X) button.
  • Click the first factor to see the second screen which presents multiplying numbers above 5 by 4.
  • Note the hand displays an extended thumb and 3 fingers to represent a count to 8, 5 + 3.
  • When you click the hand, fingers from right to left will unextend to represent the numbers called when counting after the second factor to 10.
  • The resulting count is then counted to by 5's after another click closes the hand.
  • When the count by 5's is complete the count continues by 1's until the extended fingers represent 8 again.
  • On completing the 8 count the student arrives at the correct product.
  • Click the first factor to see the third screen which presents multiplying numbers above 5 by other numbers above 5.
  • Now you will see a hand over each factor. The little diamonds will help keep track of extended and unextended fingers.
  • When you click a hand fingers are extended that represent the count after the factor below the hand to 10.
  • After you make these counts diamonds remain for each unextended finger. Clicking each diamond counts the tens of the product.
  • New diamonds appear below the extended fingers of the right hand. Click each of these diamonds the count of extended fingers of the left hand.
  • When all the diamonds disappear the student arrives at the correct product.  See Video
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Single Digit Division With Your Fingers Video Instructions Single Digit Division With Your Fingers Application