Multiplying by 0 means you are finding the total when you have zero groups of something. Any number multiplied by 0 will always equal 0.
Think of 0 as “nothing.” No matter how many groups you start with, if you have zero groups, the total is always 0.
Multiplication is repeated addition. If you have 0 groups of any number, there is nothing to add, so the total is 0.
Multiplying by 0 is different from adding 0. Adding 0 does not change a number, but multiplying by 0 always makes the total 0.
When multiplying by 0, the product will always be 0, no matter which number it is paired with (up to 12 in this case).
This rule works for all whole numbers, not just numbers up to 12. Multiplying by 0 always gives you 0.
Multiplication by 0 can describe real situations where there is nothing to count or no groups to add.
Real-world problems show that 0 in multiplication means “nothing is there.” This helps you remember the rule easily.