Calculate the Product: 2 × 3 × 43 Step-by-Step

Q: Why do we multiply from left to right instead of doing the biggest numbers first?

The associative property means we get the same answer regardless of order, but going left to right follows standard mathematical convention and often creates simpler intermediate steps.

Q: What if I just memorized that 43 × 6 = 258?

That's great if you know it! But using the distributive property $ 6\times(40+3) $ helps when you don't have facts memorized and builds stronger number sense.

Q: Can I break down 43 differently, like 30 + 13?

Absolutely! You could use $ 6\times(30+13) = 180+78 = 258 $. The key is picking a breakdown that's easy for you to calculate mentally.

Q: Why not just use a calculator for this?

Learning these mental math strategies helps you estimate answers quickly, catch calculator errors, and builds your overall number fluency for more complex problems!

Q: What's the difference between associative and distributive properties here?

Associative property lets us group $ (2\times3)\times43 $. Distributive property lets us split $ 6\times43 $ into $ 6\times(40+3) $. Both make calculations easier!

Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:00 Solve

00:03 We'll solve each multiplication separately

00:10 We'll use the distributive law

00:14 We'll break down 43 into 40 plus 3

00:20 We'll open parentheses properly

00:23 We'll multiply the outer term by each term in parentheses

00:31 We'll solve each multiplication separately and then sum

00:42 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

1

Understand the problem

$2\times3\times43=$

2

Step-by-step solution

First, we solve the exercise from left to right.

We apply the associative property in order to simplify the exercise making it easier to solve:

$2\times3=6$

Resulting in the following calculation:

$6\times43=$

We then decompose 43 into smaller parts rendering the equation easier to solve:

$6\times(40+3)=$

We apply the distributive property in order to solve the equation.

We then multiply 6 by each of the terms inside the parentheses:

$(6\times40)+(6\times3)=$

Resulting in the following solution:

$240+18=258$

3

Final Answer

258

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Associative Property: Group multiplication from left to right for easier calculation
Distributive Property: Break down $6\times43$ as $6\times(40+3)$
Check: Verify $6\times40=240$ and $6\times3=18$ , then $240+18=258$ ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Skipping the step-by-step breakdown and trying to multiply all three numbers at once
Don't try to calculate $2\times3\times43$ directly = confusion and errors! This makes mental math extremely difficult and leads to wrong calculations. Always work from left to right: first find $2\times3=6$ , then calculate $6\times43$ .

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$$ 140-70= $$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why do we multiply from left to right instead of doing the biggest numbers first?

+

The associative property means we get the same answer regardless of order, but going left to right follows standard mathematical convention and often creates simpler intermediate steps.

What if I just memorized that 43 × 6 = 258?

+

That's great if you know it! But using the distributive property $6\times(40+3)$ helps when you don't have facts memorized and builds stronger number sense.

Can I break down 43 differently, like 30 + 13?

+

Absolutely! You could use $6\times(30+13) = 180+78 = 258$ . The key is picking a breakdown that's easy for you to calculate mentally.

Why not just use a calculator for this?

+

Learning these mental math strategies helps you estimate answers quickly, catch calculator errors, and builds your overall number fluency for more complex problems!

What's the difference between associative and distributive properties here?

+

Associative property lets us group $(2\times3)\times43$ . Distributive property lets us split $6\times43$ into $6\times(40+3)$ . Both make calculations easier!

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Calculate the Product: 2 × 3 × 43 Step-by-Step

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