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Hockey Maths

Maths in hockey: practice repetitions

Count sets of practice moves as equal groups.

Quick answer

You can use multiplication to count how many practice moves you do in hockey when you repeat the same move over and over again.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to count how many practice moves you do in hockey by thinking of them as equal groups. Success signs:
  • You can count practice moves using repeated addition.
  • You can find how many moves you do by multiplying groups.
  • You can use a number line or array to show your hockey practice.
  • You can explain how sets of moves help you get better at hockey.

Why this matters

When you play hockey, you do the same move over and over again during practice. If you know how to count these repeated moves, you can track your progress and see how much you’ve improved. It’s like keeping a scorecard for your practice. This maths helps you understand how much work you’ve done and makes you feel proud of your effort.

How it works

Let’s think about hockey practice like this:
  1. You do a move, like a pass or a shot, and you do it again.
  2. You do the same move a few more times.
  3. You count how many times you did that move.
  4. You can think of each set of moves as a group.
  5. You can use multiplication to find how many moves you did in total.
For example, if you do 4 passes and you do this 3 times, that’s 4 + 4 + 4 = 12 passes. Or, you can think of it as 3 groups of 4 passes = 3 × 4 = 12 passes.

Examples you can see

Let’s imagine you are playing hockey and you are practicing these moves:
  • You do 5 passes in a row.
  • You do this 2 times.
How many passes did you do in total? Method 1: Repeated addition 5 + 5 = 10 passes Method 2: Multiplication 2 groups of 5 = 2 × 5 = 10 passes Method 3: Drawing an array You can draw 2 rows with 5 dots in each row to show 2 groups of 5.
Row 1 Row 2
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
This shows 2 × 5 = 10.

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: The Hockey Practice Challenge You are a hockey player preparing for a big match. You have to practice 3 different moves: 1st time: You do 6 passes. 2nd time: You do 6 passes. 3rd time: You do 6 passes. How many passes did you do in total? Step-by-step: 1st time: 6 passes 2nd time: 6 passes 3rd time: 6 passes Repeated addition: 6 + 6 + 6 = 18 passes Multiplication: 3 groups of 6 = 3 × 6 = 18 passes You did 18 passes in total! Now, let’s try another challenge: You are practicing your shots. You take 4 shots and do this 5 times. How many shots did you take? Repeated addition: 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 20 shots Multiplication: 5 groups of 4 = 5 × 4 = 20 shots You took 20 shots in total!

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Thinking that 3 × 4 = 12, but forgetting that 3 × 4 = 12. Fix: Remember that 3 × 4 means 3 groups of 4, which is 4 + 4 + 4 = 12. Use your fingers or draw dots to check.
  • Mistake: Counting the number of groups wrong. Fix: Count how many times you do the same move, then multiply by how many times you do that move.
  • Mistake: Adding instead of multiplying. Fix: If you see the same number repeated, think of it as groups and use multiplication.

Parent and carer guide

As a parent or carer, you can help your child by:
  • Playing a game where you count how many times your child does a move, like jumping or clapping.
  • Using a number line or drawing arrays to help them see repeated groups.
  • Encouraging them to explain how they counted their moves to you.
  • Letting them track their practice in a simple chart or notebook.
  • Noticing when they get excited about their progress – this shows they’re learning!

Practice questions

  1. You do 5 shots and repeat this 3 times. How many shots is that?
  2. You do 7 passes and repeat this 2 times. How many passes is that?
  3. You do 4 stick checks and repeat this 5 times. How many checks is that?
  4. You do 6 tackles and repeat this 4 times. How many tackles is that?
  5. You do 3 goal kicks and repeat this 6 times. How many kicks is that?
Answers:
  1. 3 × 5 = 15 shots
  2. 2 × 7 = 14 passes
  3. 5 × 4 = 20 stick checks
  4. 4 × 6 = 24 tackles
  5. 6 × 3 = 18 goal kicks

FAQ

What is a group in hockey practice?

A group is a set of the same move that you do over and over. For example, if you do 5 passes, that’s one group of 5 passes.

Why do hockey players repeat moves?

Repeating moves helps players get better at hockey. It builds muscle memory so that moves become automatic and easier to do quickly during a game.

How can I use maths to track my hockey practice?

You can count how many times you do each move and how many times you repeat that move. Then you can multiply to find the total number of moves you did.

Can I use multiplication for other sports?

Yes! You can use multiplication in any sport where you repeat the same move, like swimming laps, running sprints, or practicing kicks in football.

How do I know if I’ve done the right number of moves?

You can count each group and then multiply. For example, if you do 4 passes 3 times, you know you did 4 × 3 = 12 passes in total.