Why order doesn't matter

Grades 3–4

The big idea

Turning the array sideways doesn't change how many there are.

Think of it like tilting your head to look at the theater: 4 rows of 3 and 3 rows of 4 are the same seats; you just turned the room a quarter turn.

Turn the theater

Look at 4 rows of 3 seats. Now walk to the side wall and look again: it's 3 rows of 4. Nobody moved a seat. Same theater, same 12 seats.

rows4

seats/row3

4 rows of 3 = 12 seats.

These are good questions to ask: yourself, a grown-up, or your math helper.

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