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Top 200 Vocabulary for Primary 2 Mathematics | Multiplication Tables, Equal Sharing and Division Facts

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eduKate Asia

Quick answer: Primary 2 Mathematics teaches the multiplication tables of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10, along with division facts linked to those products. When a child understands how many groups there are, how many objects are in each group and how many objects there are altogether, the same facts can solve multiplication and division word problems. This guide explains 200 useful words and expressions for arrays, equal sharing, grouping and fact families, with worked examples and a parent practice plan.

The MOE Primary Mathematics syllabus updated October 2025 lists these tables and their related division operations under P2. It builds on P1’s introductory equal-group concepts, but the aim is not to chant facts without understanding. Each glossary entry combines subject language with a short explanation of what an action or number represents. These 200 entries are an independent teaching resource, not an official MOE vocabulary memorisation list.

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Top 200 Primary 2 Maths multiplication and division words

Read these terms in small groups. The first task is not to recite definitions; it is to identify whether an expression names the number of groups, items in each group, or complete total. In a division story, also ask whether the target is a share size or a count of packets.

1. The meaning of equal groups (words 1–20)

  1. equal groups — Collections containing the same number of items in each group.
  2. group size — The number of objects in one equal collection.
  3. group count — How many equal collections are present.
  4. total objects — The combined count from all groups.
  5. each — A word describing the amount belonging to one group or person.
  6. per group — A phrase indicating a quantity for one collection.
  7. identical packets — Packets each holding the same number of items.
  8. matching trays — Trays with equal counts of objects.
  9. full basket — A basket containing the stated group-size amount.
  10. same number in every box — A condition allowing equal-group multiplication.
  11. two groups — Two equal collections whose totals may be added.
  12. three groups — Three equal collections of a stated size.
  13. four groups — Four equal collections of the same size.
  14. five groups — Five equal collections of the same size.
  15. ten groups — Ten equal collections.
  16. groups of two — Collections with exactly two objects each.
  17. groups of three — Collections with exactly three objects each.
  18. groups of four — Collections with exactly four objects each.
  19. groups of five — Collections with exactly five objects each.
  20. groups of ten — Collections with ten objects each.

2. Arrays, rows and columns (words 21–40)

  1. array — Objects arranged in equal rows and columns.
  2. row — A horizontal line of arranged objects.
  3. column — A vertical line of arranged objects.
  4. number of rows — How many horizontal lines contain objects.
  5. number of columns — How many vertical lines contain objects.
  6. objects per row — The repeated count in every horizontal line.
  7. objects per column — The repeated count in every vertical line.
  8. equal-length rows — Rows containing identical counts.
  9. rectangle array — An arrangement of objects into a regular rectangular pattern.
  10. rotate an array — Turn a diagram without changing its number of objects.
  11. turning the array — A change of orientation that swaps row and column roles.
  12. two by five array — Two rows of five, or ten objects in all.
  13. three by four array — Three rows of four, or twelve objects.
  14. four by five array — Four rows of five, or twenty objects.
  15. five by two array — Five rows of two, or ten objects.
  16. ten by three array — Ten rows of three, or thirty objects.
  17. draw the array — Represent a multiplication fact using rows and columns.
  18. count the row totals — Add each row’s equal quantity.
  19. count the column totals — Add each column’s equal quantity.
  20. same array total — The number of objects stays unchanged when rows and columns are reinterpreted.

3. Multiplication notation and repeated addition (words 41–60)

  1. multiplication — An operation used to find totals for repeated equal-sized groups.
  2. multiply — Find the product of two quantities.
  3. times — The word for multiplication in a number sentence.
  4. multiplication sign — The symbol × showing equal-group multiplication.
  5. factor — A number being multiplied by another.
  6. product — The result obtained from multiplying factors.
  7. multiplication sentence — A statement such as 4 × 5 = 20.
  8. repeated addition — Adding the same amount several times.
  9. equal addends — Repeated numbers of the same value in an addition.
  10. three copies of four — The collection represented by 4 + 4 + 4.
  11. four copies of three — The collection represented by 3 + 3 + 3 + 3.
  12. five copies of two — The repeated amount 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2.
  13. doubling — Finding two equal copies of a quantity.
  14. tripling — Finding three equal copies of a quantity.
  15. four times as many — Four repeated copies of the stated amount.
  16. five times as many — Five repeated copies.
  17. ten times as many — Ten repeated copies.
  18. commutative fact — The product does not change when the two factors swap order.
  19. fact pair — Two multiplication statements made from the same factors in reversed order.
  20. check the product — Count or divide to confirm the multiplication result.

4. The two-times and ten-times tables (words 61–80)

  1. two-times table — The products obtained by multiplying by two.
  2. ten-times table — The products obtained by multiplying by ten.
  3. pair — Two objects forming one group.
  4. two pairs — Two groups of two items, making four.
  5. three pairs — Three groups of two, making six.
  6. four pairs — Four groups of two, making eight.
  7. five pairs — Five groups of two, making ten.
  8. six pairs — Six groups of two, making twelve.
  9. seven pairs — Seven groups of two, making fourteen.
  10. eight pairs — Eight groups of two, making sixteen.
  11. nine pairs — Nine groups of two, making eighteen.
  12. ten pairs — Ten groups of two, making twenty.
  13. ten in each row — Every row contains ten items.
  14. two in each basket — Every basket holds two items.
  15. five tens — Five groups of ten, making fifty.
  16. eight tens — Eight groups of ten, making eighty.
  17. multiply by two — Calculate two equal copies of a number.
  18. multiply by ten — Count ten copies or use the tens structure.
  19. counting by twos — A sequence increasing in steps of two.
  20. counting by tens — A sequence increasing in steps of ten.

5. The three-times and four-times tables (words 81–100)

  1. three-times table — Multiplication facts using the factor three.
  2. four-times table — Multiplication facts using the factor four.
  3. triple — Three times a starting quantity.
  4. quadruple — Four times a starting quantity.
  5. three in each packet — A group size of three items.
  6. four in each packet — A group size of four items.
  7. three groups of four — An arrangement with twelve items.
  8. four groups of three — Another arrangement with twelve items.
  9. five groups of three — Fifteen objects in equal groups of three.
  10. five groups of four — Twenty objects in equal groups of four.
  11. six groups of three — Eighteen objects in equal groups of three.
  12. six groups of four — Twenty-four objects in equal groups of four.
  13. seven groups of three — Twenty-one items grouped by threes.
  14. seven groups of four — Twenty-eight items grouped by fours.
  15. eight groups of three — Twenty-four objects in groups of three.
  16. eight groups of four — Thirty-two objects in groups of four.
  17. nine groups of three — Twenty-seven objects in groups of three.
  18. nine groups of four — Thirty-six objects in groups of four.
  19. ten groups of three — Thirty objects in groups of three.
  20. ten groups of four — Forty objects in groups of four.

6. The five-times table and familiar groups (words 101–120)

  1. five-times table — Multiplication facts involving the factor five.
  2. five in each box — A group containing exactly five objects.
  3. one set of five — A collection of five items.
  4. two sets of five — Two groups of five, or ten objects.
  5. three sets of five — Three groups of five, or fifteen objects.
  6. four sets of five — Four groups of five, or twenty objects.
  7. five sets of five — Five groups of five, or twenty-five objects.
  8. six sets of five — Six groups of five, or thirty objects.
  9. seven sets of five — Seven groups of five, or thirty-five objects.
  10. eight sets of five — Eight groups of five, or forty objects.
  11. nine sets of five — Nine groups of five, or forty-five objects.
  12. ten sets of five — Ten groups of five, or fifty objects.
  13. clock-hand five-minute step — One movement between consecutive numbered marks on a clock.
  14. five fingers on a hand — A familiar real-world set of five.
  15. five-cent value — The monetary amount represented by a five-cent coin.
  16. count in fives — Move through a sequence in steps of five.
  17. half of ten — A quantity of five, useful for linking facts.
  18. two fives equal ten — An equal-group relationship supporting number sense.
  19. five is half of ten — A way to connect the five and ten times tables.
  20. predict the next five — Increase the current multiple by five.

7. Division as equal sharing (words 121–140)

  1. division — An operation used to find equal shares or the number of equal groups.
  2. divide — Separate a known total according to a stated group rule.
  3. division sign — The symbol ÷ between dividend and divisor.
  4. dividend — The total amount to be divided.
  5. divisor — The number used to divide the starting amount.
  6. quotient — The amount obtained after performing division.
  7. equal sharing — Distributing items so every participant receives the same number.
  8. share among two — Make two equal portions.
  9. share among three — Make three equal portions.
  10. share among four — Make four equal portions.
  11. share among five — Make five equal portions.
  12. share among ten — Make ten equal portions.
  13. how many each — A question asking for one person’s or group’s share size.
  14. objects per child — The number given to each recipient.
  15. one round of sharing — Giving one item to each participant before the next round.
  16. share all the items — Distribute the complete total under the stated equal-share rule.
  17. fair distribution — Each receiver obtains the same quantity.
  18. equal final piles — The groups remaining after successful sharing have identical counts.
  19. number of recipients — The number of people receiving the shares.
  20. sharing check — Multiply one share by the number of recipients to confirm the total.

8. Division as making groups (words 141–160)

  1. grouping division — Finding how many equal groups of a stated size fit into a total.
  2. fixed packet size — The number of items every full packet must contain.
  3. number of packets — The group count found from total divided by packet size.
  4. how many groups of four — Find the count of complete sets of four.
  5. how many groups of five — Find the count of complete sets of five.
  6. how many groups of ten — Find the count of complete tens.
  7. items into pairs — Form equal groups containing two items.
  8. put five in a bag — Use group size five to determine bag count.
  9. put ten in a tray — Use group size ten to determine tray count.
  10. pack the same amount — Use identical group sizes throughout the question.
  11. total to be packed — The complete collection before grouping.
  12. one complete group — A group containing the specified number of items.
  13. equal group counts — Two arrangements with the same number of completed groups.
  14. groups shown in picture — The actual number of depicted equal collections.
  15. packet label — A note explaining the number in one pack.
  16. count the packs — Find the number of groups rather than total items.
  17. divide total by group size — The relationship used to find the number of groups.
  18. grouping check — Multiply full group count by group size to recover the total.
  19. group-size versus group-count — Two different unknowns that lead to different division questions.
  20. same division fact — A related division sentence using the same product and factors.

9. Fact families and inverse relationships (words 161–180)

  1. multiplication fact family — Related products and quotients formed from the same numbers.
  2. related multiplication — A multiplication equation linked to a division fact.
  3. related division — A division equation linked to a multiplication fact.
  4. inverse operation — An operation that reverses another.
  5. undo multiplication — Use division to recover a factor when the product is known.
  6. undo division — Use multiplication to reconstruct the original total.
  7. factor one — A number whose product with one is unchanged.
  8. zero times a number — A multiplication product equal to zero.
  9. multiply in either order — Swap two factors without changing the product.
  10. four times five — The product twenty.
  11. five times four — The same product twenty with factors reversed.
  12. twenty divided by four — The quotient five.
  13. twenty divided by five — The quotient four.
  14. six times three — The product eighteen.
  15. eighteen divided by six — The quotient three.
  16. eighteen divided by three — The quotient six.
  17. ten times two — The product twenty.
  18. twenty divided by ten — The quotient two.
  19. twenty divided by two — The quotient ten.
  20. fact-family triangle — A diagram placing two factors and their product in related positions.

10. Word problems, models and checking (words 181–200)

  1. find the total — Calculate the complete number across the equal groups.
  2. find one share — Calculate how many objects each person receives.
  3. find the number of groups — Calculate how many packets or collections can be made.
  4. read what each means — Identify the unit size attached to each object or person.
  5. start from the question — Underline the quantity requested before choosing an operation.
  6. given factor — A group count or group size supplied in the wording.
  7. unknown factor — The missing number in a multiplication relationship.
  8. given product — The total amount supplied in an equal-group situation.
  9. missing product — The combined amount to be found.
  10. draw an equal-group picture — Make the group count and group size visible.
  11. draw a row-and-column array — Show the same multiplication as a rectangular model.
  12. write repeated addition — Record equal group sizes as a sum.
  13. write the number sentence — Express the relationship using × or ÷.
  14. label the groups — Mark what every pictured collection represents.
  15. label the total — Name how many objects are in all groups together.
  16. test a related fact — Use division to check a product or multiplication to check a quotient.
  17. notice a wrong operation — Recognise that an answer does not match the story’s group structure.
  18. explain the quotient — State whether the division answer counts groups or gives the amount per group.
  19. complete answer statement — Name the number and the objects or recipients.
  20. independent changed story — Apply the same fact family to different objects or numbers.

Twelve worked questions for Primary 2 multiplication and division

1. Three groups of four is repeated addition

Three trays each contain four cupcakes. Each tray is one group, and there are three groups. The total is 4 + 4 + 4 = 12 cupcakes. Write 3 × 4 = 12 and ask the child which factor represents the number of trays and which represents cupcakes per tray. The group roles matter even though the product is unchanged if the factors switch order.

2. Rotation does not change the number of objects

Draw three rows of four dots. Rotate the page: it now appears as four rows of three. Counting the objects still gives 12. Thus 3 × 4 and 4 × 3 have the same product. This commutative relationship is easiest to discover from the picture rather than as a sentence to memorise. Ask the pupil to describe the rows and columns before and after rotation.

3. Double a group to practise the two-times table

A shelf holds six books. An identical second shelf holds six books. There are 12 books altogether. Write 6 + 6 = 12 and 2 × 6 = 12. Then add another identical shelf to find 18 through three groups of six. Explain that doubling means two equal copies, not adding the number two to every amount.

4. A clock can make the five-times table visible

From one numbered mark to the next on a traditional clock face, the minute hand moves five minutes. Three marks correspond to 15 minutes, and six marks correspond to 30 minutes. Point to the clock to show 3 × 5 = 15. The same five-times sequence appears in groups of five objects. Remind the child that this context is counting elapsed minutes, not multiplying the hour hand’s value.

5. A ten-times fact works through place value

Seven packets each have ten stickers. The total is 7 × 10 = 70 stickers. Use seven ten-rods or seven full ten-frames. The answer is seven tens, not seven ones. A child who can build seventy as seven complete tens has a useful explanation for the product, even before a fluent times-table chant.

6. Sharing uses the total and the number of children

Twenty-four sweets are shared equally among four children. Put sweets into four piles, one per child in each round. After six rounds, all 24 sweets are distributed, so each child receives 6 sweets. The number sentence is 24 ÷ 4 = 6. A check is 4 × 6 = 24. Here the quotient is the amount per child, not the number of children.

7. Grouping uses the total and the fixed packet size

Twenty-four sweets are placed six in each packet. How many packets are needed? Use 24 ÷ 6 = 4 packets. The same fact family is used as in the previous question, but the quotient now counts packets. Ask the child to explain both versions in one sentence before writing the answer. Understanding the target is the real challenge.

8. Three-times and four-times facts can describe the same total

Four groups of three flowers make twelve flowers. Three groups of four flowers also make twelve. Both are valid equal-group models with different group roles. Write 4 × 3 = 12 and 3 × 4 = 12. Then use division: 12 ÷ 3 = 4 and 12 ÷ 4 = 3. These four related equations form an easy fact-family exercise.

9. The word “each” requires reading the whole sentence

“Each of five bags contains four marbles” gives five groups of four, for 20 marbles. “Twenty marbles are shared equally into five bags; how many are in each?” gives 20 ÷ 5 = 4 marbles per bag. The word “each” appears in both but the unknown changes. Avoid telling pupils that a single keyword always signals a specific operation.

10. A table of known facts can help with a missing product

A class makes bracelets using four beads each. For one bracelet, the required count is four; for two, eight; for three, twelve; and for five, twenty. The number of beads grows in a steady pattern of four. For seven bracelets, add another two groups of four to twenty, giving 28 beads. A small table shows how group count relates to total.

11. A missing factor can be found using division

Five equal boxes contain 35 pencils altogether. How many pencils are in each box? The missing factor in 5 × □ = 35 is 7, because 35 ÷ 5 = 7. Check with five groups of seven. This links the multiplication table to an unknown-size question and prepares children to reason about missing amounts more generally.

12. A picture graph can also describe repeated groups

A picture graph shows four symbols for one class, with a key saying each symbol represents two books. The class’s total is 4 × 2 = 8 books. The scale is the group size and the number of symbols is the group count. This is a useful cross-topic connection: multiplication helps interpret the graph. Always read the key rather than assuming each symbol means one.

Why a child can remember a multiplication table and still struggle with word problems

Memorising 4 × 5 = 20 can make calculation faster. It does not automatically tell the pupil what the four and five represent in a real story. If a pupil sees “four packets containing five pens each” and writes 4 + 5 = 9, the difficulty is mapping group count and group size to the operation. If the pupil correctly writes 4 × 5 but answers 25, the issue is a missing or inaccurate fact. These problems call for different teaching responses.

Use the sequence build → draw → say → write → change. Build four groups of five with counters. Draw the corresponding array. Say “four groups with five in each”. Write 4 × 5 = 20. Finally change the story to four trays of five cupcakes and ask whether the same structure works. A pupil who can transfer the calculation across different objects has learned more than a chant.

Sharing and grouping division: an essential distinction

In sharing division, the number of groups is known and the size of each share must be found. In grouping division, the group size is known and the number of groups must be found. For example, twenty objects shared among five children results in four per child; twenty objects packed four per bag requires five bags. Both use division, but their answers refer to different things.

Draw the group count and the group size on a rectangular array. Cover the part that is unknown. If there are five rows and four columns, the total is twenty. Cover the four columns and ask how many items are in each row; then cover the five rows and ask how many rows are needed. The same visual representation can answer both questions without treating division as a purely written algorithm.

Eight common misconceptions and their repairs

  1. Adds the factors instead of multiplying: build equal groups and write the repeated addition before the product.
  2. Thinks rotating an array changes the total: rotate the page and recount without adding or removing dots.
  3. Cannot distinguish group size and group count: label both quantities on an array.
  4. Uses a known times-table answer without checking the story: ask what the product represents in words.
  5. Confuses sharing with grouping: ask whether the number of recipients or the amount per recipient is known.
  6. Treats every “each” question as multiplication: identify the unknown first.
  7. Cannot connect division to multiplication: practise fact families using the same numbers.
  8. Ignores the scale on a graph: show each symbol as a group whose size comes from the key.

How to teach the tables in useful relationships

Start with 2, 5 and 10, using pairs, fingers and tens frames to make the patterns visible. Connect the 3 and 4 tables to arrays, repeated groups and small everyday examples. Use ten familiar multiplication facts as anchors and show how a new fact can be reasoned from a known one. For example, 7 × 4 is the same as 5 × 4 plus 2 × 4, giving 20 + 8 = 28. The learner is using the structure of equal groups instead of guessing.

Invite a child to invent a story for each fact. A pupil who says “There are eight boxes with three balls each, so there are twenty-four balls” has demonstrated a practical understanding of 8 × 3. A second pupil might show three rows of eight. Both stories are valid, provided that group count, group size and total are clear.

Four-week Primary 2 times-table and division plan

Week 1 — Equal groups, arrays and the 2 and 10 tables

Use counters and ten-frames to build equal groups. Explain repeated addition and the multiplication sign, then connect pairs and tens to the 2 and 10 tables. Ask pupils to label rows, columns and group size in every model.

Week 2 — The 5, 3 and 4 tables

Use fingers, clocks and arrays for five, then build three and four equal groups with familiar objects. Practise related facts through rotation. Mix short oral questions with hands-on examples rather than relying only on timed chanting.

Week 3 — Sharing, grouping and fact families

Turn each chosen multiplication fact into two division questions. Ask whether the answer counts groups or states the number in each. Use physical sharing before switching to diagrams and number sentences.

Week 4 — Word problems and independent transfer

Give a mix of multiplication, sharing and grouping stories without headings telling the operation. Add a few scaled picture-graph questions and small tables. Ask the pupil to identify the target and explain the chosen operation, then solve a changed story independently.

Ten short checks for the parent at home

  1. Four groups of three objects make 12.
  2. Five groups of four objects make 20.
  3. Seven groups of two objects make 14.
  4. Eight groups of five objects make 40.
  5. Six groups of ten objects make 60.
  6. Twenty shared among five children gives 4 per child.
  7. Twenty packed four to a bag needs 5 bags.
  8. Twenty-four objects divided into three groups gives 8 in each.
  9. The missing number in 4 × □ = 28 is 7.
  10. Five pictures worth two books each represent 10 books.

Use the pupil’s explanation as the score of interest. If the child gives a correct number but calls it a number of bags when it should be items per bag, the quantity roles still need clarification. If the group structure is correct but the product is wrong, practise the relevant fact and check with repeated addition.

Four practical ways to turn times-table recall into independent thinking

Use the same fact in three different stories

Take 4 × 5 = 20. First use four trays of five cakes each and ask for the total. Next provide twenty cakes and place five on each tray, asking how many trays are needed. Finally share twenty cakes equally among four people and ask how many each person receives. The first story uses multiplication; the other two use division. A learner who can name which number is the total, group count and group size in all three stories understands the relationship, not merely the spoken table.

Build facts from neighbouring facts

When 7 × 4 is unfamiliar, use 5 × 4 = 20 plus 2 × 4 = 8 to find twenty-eight. Or begin with 8 × 4 = 32 and remove one group of four. Explain that the complete amount is made from equal parts and that the two calculation paths agree. This reasoning reduces dependence on a single memorised fact and shows how multiplication can be flexible and logical. Do not demand such a derivation for every fluent fact; use it when the child wants to understand or reconstruct a forgotten one.

Contrast an array with an ordinary collection

Draw twelve dots scattered randomly, then arrange the same twelve dots into three rows of four. The scattered dots can be counted, but the array makes the repeated group structure immediately visible. Rotate the page: four rows of three still contain twelve dots. Ask the child which representation is easier for multiplying and why. The learning point is that arranging objects does not change the total, while a useful arrangement can make a mathematical relationship clearer.

Make a two-column unit table

Create a table with “number of boxes” in one column and “pens in total” in the other. If each box holds five pens, record one box as five pens, two as ten, three as fifteen and four as twenty. Ask the child to predict the total for six boxes and explain the pattern. Then reverse the question: if a table shows twenty-five pens, how many boxes were used? The table supports multiplication and division together without changing the underlying equal group size.

Twelve quick checks that mix the questions intentionally

  1. Three groups of five make 15.
  2. Thirty items packed five per box require 6 boxes.
  3. Twenty-four items shared into four equal piles make 6 per pile.
  4. Eight rows with three dots in each have 24 dots.
  5. The product of seven and four is 28.
  6. The missing number in 5 × □ = 35 is 7.
  7. Forty objects grouped in tens make 4 groups.
  8. Four groups of ten make 40 objects.
  9. Twenty-eight objects split into seven groups make 4 each.
  10. A graph has six symbols representing two each: the total is 12.
  11. Five packets of four and one extra pen make 21 pens; notice the extra is not a full repeated group.
  12. Ten pupils receive three tokens each: the complete total is 30 tokens.

For each answer, ask for its unit: boxes, objects, dots, tokens or items per group. A correct number with a misunderstood unit reveals that the learner has not completely interpreted the question. Follow with a changed example and ask the child to choose whether an array, table or direct fact is the simplest representation.

Frequently asked questions

Which multiplication tables does Singapore Primary 2 Mathematics cover?

The updated MOE syllabus specifies the 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10 tables together with related division facts.

Should a P2 pupil memorise the multiplication tables?

Fluent recall can help, but it should be built on an understanding of equal groups, arrays and related division facts. Fast answers alone are not enough to solve unfamiliar stories.

What is the difference between sharing and grouping division?

Sharing asks how many go into each of a known number of groups. Grouping asks how many groups of a known size can be made. Both can use the same division fact.

Are remainders part of the P2 division syllabus?

The P2 emphasis is on division linked to the stated multiplication tables. Formal division with remainders is introduced in P3. Keep early P2 examples focused on exact equal groups unless discussing leftovers informally.

Are these words official MOE examination terms?

No. This independent word bank helps families explain the multiplication and division concepts in the official curriculum using clear everyday language.

Official source and next reading

Check the updated MOE Primary Mathematics syllabus (October 2025). Use the P2 general Mathematics vocabulary guide for the wider curriculum, the P2 word-problem reading guide for cross-topic question language, and the P1 number-bond and place-value foundation if the pupil needs stronger part–whole reasoning.