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This means students will apply the properties of multiplication and division (commutative, distributive, associative and inverse) to number problems, particularly those requiring multiplication and division. Students should exercise critical choice in their method of calculation - mental, machine or paper - and recognise situations in which estimation should be used, including the checking of calculated answers. Strategies expected at Level Four include: using common factors and multiples, for example 37 + 41 + 40 + 38 = 
as 4 x 40 – 4, using the distributive property, for example 24 x 36 = 20 x 36 + 4 x 36, 9 x 78 = 9 x 80 – 9 x 2, or 276 ÷ 12 = 240 ÷ 12 + 36 ÷ 12, using the associative property, for example 12 x 33 = 4 x 99, or 216 ÷ 12 = 216 ÷ 2 ÷ 2 ÷ 3, and inverse operations (reversing), for example 354 ÷ 6 = as 6 x = 354. This objective also involves calculating powers, for example 43 = 4 x 4 x 4 = 64, and factorials, for example 4! = 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 = 24. Students should have strong mental strategies for operations on whole numbers but also accurately carry out standard written algorithms, particularly for multi-digit multiplication and division. Level Four corresponds to the Advanced Multiplicative stage of the number framework.
