Definition of Equal Groups in Maths

As students embark on their journey into multiplication, chances are they will learn about using equal groups to represent a multiplication problem. So, how can you explain this concept to your students? Let’s take a quick look!

Equal groups are like teams where everyone gets the same number of things. Imagine you have 3 groups of friends, and each group has 4 friends. That’s 3 equal groups, and everyone has the same number of friends in each group!

In maths, it’s just like that! If you have 4 groups of 5 toys, each group has the same number of toys. So, 4 groups with 5 toys in each is equal groups. It’s like making sure everyone gets the same number of things in their group.

Practise Equal Groups – Worksheets for Years 2 and 3

Teach Starter has created a set of worksheets to help your students understand that equal groups put together can be used to represent a multiplication expression. With this teacher-created resource, students will get to design a variety of bracelets by colouring them in equal groups. There are 5 different practise pages where students will be presented with a multiplication fact and a bracelet to colour to represent the problem. Guide your students to use a different colour for each group, and they will finish with a beautifully designed bracelet! After colouring each of the beads, students will determine the product of each fact.

How to Get Your Multiplication Worksheets

If you are ready for your students to practise using the equal groups multiplication strategy, head on over to the green download button! Here, you will find the quick-print PDF file as well as the editable Google Slides file. If selecting the Google Slides option, please note that you will first be prompted to make a copy of the resource to your personal drive before accessing it.

This resource was created by Brittany Kellogg, a Teach Starter Collaborator.

Don’t stop there! We’ve got more activities to shorten your lesson planning time:  

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Multiplication With Equal Groups Matching Activity

Reinforce how to relate multiplication and equal groups with this printable matching activity.

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Equal Groups Multiplication Task Cards

Highlight how to use equal groups to solve multiplication problems with this set of 24 task cards.

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Introduction to Multiplication Strategies Teaching Slides

Introduce your students to different multiplication strategies such as arrays, equal groups, repeated addition and skip counting with this 34-page slide deck.