Multiplication

Multiplication is an elementary binary operation, written \(ab\), \(a \times b\), or \(a \cdot b\) (pronounced "\(a\) times \(b\)"). It is defined as repeated addition: \(a \times b = \underbrace{a + a + \cdots + a + a}_b\). The result of a multiplication problem is called the product.

For example, the product 3 × 4 is equal to the sum of three 4s: 4 + 4 + 4.

Like addition, multiplication is commutative and associative: \(a \times b = b \times a\) and \((a \times b) \times c = a \times (b \times c)\). Repeated multiplication is called exponentiation.

It is the second hyper operator.