Fact Family

Topic

Multiplication and Division

Definition

A fact family is a group of related mathematical facts using the same numbers.

Description

Fact families are sets of related addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts that use the same numbers. For example, the fact family for 3, 4, and 12 includes the multiplication facts 

3 × 4 = 12 and 4 × 3 = 12

and the division facts 

12 ÷ 3 = 4 and 12 ÷ 4 = 3

Fact families help students understand the relationships between operations and improve their fluency in basic arithmetic. In real-world applications, understanding fact families aids in mental math and problem-solving. Teaching fact families to students helps them see the connections between different mathematical operations and enhances their overall number sense.

Teacher script: "A fact family is like a family of numbers that are related. If 3, 4, and 12 are a family, they can make different math sentences like 3 × 4 = 12 and 12 ÷ 3 = 4."

For a complete collection of terms related to Multiplication and Division click on this link: Multiplication and Division Collection