multiply four times four

[diamondcutter]

I don’t even know what you get if you multiply four times four.

(Miss Daisy is Crazy, Dan Gutman)

I couldn’t find the usage of multiply in this sentence. I could only find the following usages of multiply in my Oxford dictionary.

Multiply 2 and 6 together and you get 12.
2 multiplied by 4 is/equals/makes 8.

I’d like to know if the usage--multiply A times B is common and if the word ‘times’ is a preposition.

 

[emsr2d2]

It doesn't work for me at all. We say "... multiply four by four". In a maths question, we'd say "What is four times four?" or "What do you get if you multiply four by four?"

 

[diamondcutter]

Thanks, emsr2d2.

Is it a difference between British and American English?

 

[probus]

Is it a difference between British and American English?

I think so. "Multiply x times y" seems quite natural to me in AmE.