Why does 5x5 equal 25?

Answer 1

Well, honey, 5 times 5 equals 25 because when you multiply the first number by the second number, you are essentially adding the first number to itself the second number of times. So, in this case, you're adding 5 to itself 5 times, which gives you 25. It's basic math, darling, nothing fancy about it.

Answer 2

-- If you drop five stones into an initially empty hole in the ground five times,
the hole then contains 25 stones.

-- If five friends each give you $5, you then have $25.

Any similar experiment you design to test the same arithmetic assertion
produces the same result. Eventually, by induction, you come to conclude
that the general rule is always true. Any subsequent action you take that
is based on this assumption is always successful.