To ask a really basic/ stupid maths question?

[Extrachilli]

I’ve just done a multiplication sum on paper. In the units column I had to do 4 x 8 which is obviously 32. I put a ‘3’ in the units column and carried over the 2 to the tens column. Did the rest of the sum then checked my answer using a calculator. It was wrong. I then went back and did it again but carried the 3 over instead of the 2 and it was then correct. Now it’s been YEARS since I’ve done calculations on paper so I’m very rusty but I always thought you carried the smaller number over?

So confused!

You don’t carry the “smaller number” over. Thirty two is made up of three tens and two ones. The ones go in the ones column and you need to carry the three tens to the tens column.

I hope that makes sense!

You carry the 3 over because it’s really a 30 so belongs in the tens column

The 2 is just a 2 so belongs in the units column.

The 3 in 32 represents 3 tens not 3 units so goes in the tens column! The 2 is 2 units so goes un the units column

What calculation are you doing? Would a worked example be helpful?

No, you carry the ‘tens’ number. 32 is made up of 30 and 2 so the 30 moved over into the tens column and becomes 3 tens.

Where on Earth have you got carrying the smallest number from??

No, you carry the ‘tens’ to the tens column. Doesn’t matter which is larger or smaller.

You carry the number that would be in the tens column, 3 in this case. The 2 is in the units column.

Well the '3' refers to 30 so has to go in the the tens column. The 2 is a unit so has to go in the units column.

It's nothing to do with 2 being less than 3 it's what they represent.

You're carrying the 3 over into the 10s column, the 2 is in the units column. So the first digit always carries over even if it's the smaller number
Eg 4x4=16, 6 in the units, 1 carries into the tens.

BBC bitesize maths is good for this sort of thing. Look up column multiplication.

OMG, it makes sense yes 🤦‍♀️ Thank you!! I swear to god I don’t remember learning that at school which is slightly worrying!!

Thank you all!! Good ol’ mumsnet, you can always rely on it

@Extrachilli to be fair, you probably weren’t taught it broken down into tens and units. You will just have been taught the method which is why you’ve got confused. These days teachers spend aaaaages working on place value (tens and units etc) and explaining why it works rather than just teaching children to follow a process. DS’s maths has benefitted from this enormously I think as he can do all kinds of mental maths in his head while I have to write down the sum, draw my lines and then work it all out 🙈

Just watch out for using the word “sum” to mean any calculation.

Sum means addition. There’s a big emphasis on using mathematical language correctly in schools now.

@Extrachilli

OMG, it makes sense yes 🤦‍♀️ Thank you!! I swear to god I don’t remember learning that at school which is slightly worrying!!

Always good to see someone having a 'lightbulb' moment 😊

OMG, it makes sense yes That's the great thing about maths. It always does make sense. Even if it is sometimes taught as if it were magic

It's not that you weren't taught place values, you just accidentally used your long division carry overs in the wrong sum.

We were taught place values, ffs! But like ODFOD, sorry, BIDMAS, we weren't necessarily taught the acronyms. That and beware of maths notation. Sums, sorry, equations, don't look like they used to. They are all unpacked, very little below the line. Weird looking things. Made for the computer generation. We were taught 'philosophical ' maths.

It is a very different world in maths these days... as even my engineer DH finds on a daily basis!

You'll get there. It's just a matter of deep breaths and practice ☺️