Multiply, then add
~10 min
Use multiplication to find the main total.
Multiply equal groups first
4 items
4 items
4 items
3 x 4
When you have a word problem with two steps, start by finding the total of the equal groups using multiplication. The equal groups represent the main part of the total.
💡 Always look for the number of groups and how many are in each one before adding anything else.