If I have 3 bags and each bag has 4 apples, how many apples do I have in total?

Question

Multiplication word problems can be confusing. How can we walk through one like:

If I have 3 bags and each bag has 4 apples, how many apples do I have in total?

Answer 1

The first problem is to recognize that it may be a multiplication problem.

Very often, the use of the word "each" in the problem gives us a hint that we are dealing with multiplication or division. If "each" appears in the given, provided numbers, we are probably looking at multiplication, whereas if "each" appears in the unknown (what we have to solve for), then we are probably dealing with division.

Once you know it is a multiplication problem, any of the hints by the other experts can work. Essentially you need to find two numbers to multiply. (There are issues of matching units, but not sure that is the focus of this question.)

Answer 2

Watch my video to see how I help kids solve this problem in two different ways. Then see if it makes sense how multiplication and addition are related. It just might dump the apple cart- and give your child a whole new way to think about problem solving!

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Answer 3

Here’s how to break it down:

1. We have 3 bags
2. Each bag has 4 apples

So we multiply:

3 × 4 = 12 apples

✅ Final Answer: 12 apples

🍎 Tip: Draw 3 bags and put 4 apples in each, or use blocks or coins. Seeing it helps it “click!”

🧠 Memory trick: Repeated addition = multiplication!

4 + 4 + 4 = 12 → same as 3 × 4