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Surfing Maths

Surfing practice repetitions maths challenge

A child-friendly sports challenge using practice repetitions to practise multiplication with real examples.

Quick answer

You can use multiplication to work out how many times you need to practice a surfing move by multiplying the number of times you do it each session by the number of sessions you do.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to multiply the number of times you practice a surfing move by the number of times you do it each day to find out how many times you practice in total. Success signs:
  • You can count how many times you do a move in one session
  • You can multiply that number by how many sessions you do
  • You can work out how many times you practice in total
  • You can use this to plan your surfing practice

Why this matters

When you surf, you need to practice moves over and over to get good at them. If you do 5 tricks in each practice session and you practice 4 times a week, you need to know how many tricks you do in total. This helps you track your progress and plan how much practice you need. Maths helps you understand how much work you're doing and how much you're improving. It's like keeping a scorecard for your surfing practice!

How it works

Multiplication is like repeated addition. If you do 3 moves in one session, and you do that session 4 times, you add 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12 moves. That's the same as 3 × 4 = 12. To work out how many times you practice:
  1. Count how many times you do a move in one session
  2. Count how many sessions you do each week
  3. Multiply those two numbers together

Examples you can see

Let's imagine you're learning to do a "barrel" trick. You practice this trick 6 times in one session.
  • Session 1: 6 times
  • Session 2: 6 times
  • Session 3: 6 times
  • Session 4: 6 times
That's 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 24 times. Or you can do 6 × 4 = 24 times. Here's a table showing how many times you practice if you do 6 tricks each session for different numbers of sessions:
Sessions Tricks per session Total tricks
1 6 6
2 6 12
3 6 18
4 6 24
5 6 30

Try it as a mini adventure

You're a young surfer preparing for a competition. You want to practice your "cutback" move. Here's your challenge: Adventure Challenge: Surfing Practice Plan You practice your cutback move:
  • 1st time: 5 times
  • 2nd time: 5 times
  • 3rd time: 5 times
  • 4th time: 5 times
  • 5th time: 5 times
How many times do you practice your cutback in total? You can work this out by adding: 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 25 times. Or by multiplying: 5 × 5 = 25 times. Now, let's say you want to practice for 6 days. How many times do you practice in total?
  • 1st day: 5 times
  • 2nd day: 5 times
  • 3rd day: 5 times
  • 4th day: 5 times
  • 5th day: 5 times
  • 6th day: 5 times
Add them up: 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 30 times. Or multiply: 5 × 6 = 30 times. Challenge Question: If you do 7 times a day for 4 days, how many times do you practice in total? Answer: 7 × 4 = 28 times.

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Adding the numbers instead of multiplying. For example, thinking 6 × 4 = 6 + 4 = 10.
    Why it happens: Confusing multiplication with addition.
    Fix: Remember that multiplication is repeated addition. 6 × 4 means 6 + 6 + 6 + 6.
  • Mistake: Forgetting to count the number of sessions.
    Why it happens: Not reading the problem carefully.
    Fix: Always check how many times you do something and how many times you do the session.
  • Mistake: Thinking that 0 × any number = any number.
    Why it happens: Not understanding that zero groups means zero total.
    Fix: 0 × 5 = 0 because 0 groups of 5 = 0.

Parent and carer guide

Parents and carers can help by:
  • Using real examples from your child's surfing or other sport practice
  • Practising multiplication with everyday objects like blocks or counters
  • Letting your child draw arrays or groups to help visualise the problem
  • Encouraging your child to explain how they worked out their answer
  • Using a chart or table to help track practice sessions
Here's a simple way to help:
  1. Ask your child how many times they do a move in one session
  2. Ask how many sessions they do each week
  3. Together, multiply the two numbers
  4. Keep a chart to track their progress
It's okay if your child makes mistakes – that's part of learning. Encourage them to try again and explain their thinking.

Practice questions

  1. How many times do you practice if you do 3 moves in one session and do 4 sessions?
  2. How many times do you practice if you do 8 moves in one session and do 3 sessions?
  3. How many times do you practice if you do 5 moves in one session and do 6 sessions?
  4. How many times do you practice if you do 10 moves in one session and do 2 sessions?
  5. How many times do you practice if you do 7 moves in one session and do 5 sessions?
Answers:
  1. 3 × 4 = 12
  2. 8 × 3 = 24
  3. 5 × 6 = 30
  4. 10 × 2 = 20
  5. 7 × 5 = 35

FAQ

What is multiplication?

Multiplication is a way of adding the same number over and over. For example, 3 × 4 means 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12.

Why do we need to know multiplication for surfing?

Multiplication helps you work out how many times you practice a move in total, so you can plan your practice and see your progress.

Can I use multiplication for other sports?

Yes! You can use multiplication for any sport or activity where you repeat the same action many times.

How can I practice multiplication?

You can practice by using objects like blocks, drawing arrays, or thinking of real-life situations like your surfing practice.

What if I get the multiplication wrong?

That's okay! You can double-check by adding the numbers or using a different method. Mistakes help you learn!