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Times Tables Tricks

A shortcut for each table, easiest first. Every example is worked through so you can check it.

Three ideas behind every trick

  1. Turn-arounds: 4 × 7 is the same as 7 × 4, so you only need to learn each pair once. See the commutative property.
  2. Doubling: the 4s are double the 2s, the 8s are double the 4s, the 6s are double the 3s, and the 12s are double the 6s.
  3. One more (or one less) group: 6 × 7 is 5 × 7 plus one more 7; 9 × 7 is 10 × 7 minus one 7.

A trick for each table

The 2 times table

Times 2 means doubling: add the number to itself. Every answer is even, so it ends in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8.

Example: 2 × 8 = 8 + 8 = 16.

The 5 times table

Answers end in 5 or 0. Multiply by 10 and take half; on a clock face the 5s are the minutes.

Example: 5 × 8 = half of 80 = 40.

The 9 times table

Ten times, then take one away. Or use your fingers: hold up ten fingers and fold down finger number n. Fingers to the left are tens, fingers to the right are ones. The digits of each answer (up to 9 × 10) add up to 9.

Example: 9 × 7 = 70 − 7 = 63; fold finger 4 for 9 × 4 → 3 and 6 → 36.

The 11 times table

For 1 to 9, write the digit twice. For a two-digit number whose digits add to less than 10, split the digits and put their sum in the middle.

Example: 11 × 4 = 44; 11 × 12 → 1 (1+2) 2 = 132.

The 3 times table

Double the number, then add it once more. The digits of every answer add up to 3, 6 or 9.

Example: 3 × 7 = 14 + 7 = 21.

The 4 times table

Double, then double again.

Example: 4 × 6: double 6 is 12, double 12 is 24.

The 6 times table

Take the 5s answer and add one more of the number. With an even number, the answer ends in that same digit (6 × 4 = 24, 6 × 8 = 48).

Example: 6 × 7 = 35 + 7 = 42.

The 7 times table

You already know most 7s from other tables because 7 × 3 is the same as 3 × 7. The new ones are 7 × 7 = 49, 7 × 8 = 56 (think "5, 6, 7, 8": 56 = 7 × 8) and 7 × 9 = 63. Or split 7 into 5 + 2.

Example: 7 × 6 = (5 × 6) + (2 × 6) = 30 + 12 = 42.

Tricks for bigger tables

Bigger tables are built from smaller ones. The 15s are the 10s plus the 5s. The 19s are the 20s minus one. The 25s work like quarters. Each times table page has its own trick.

Questions and answers

What is the easiest times tables trick?

Turn-arounds. Because 3 × 8 = 8 × 3, every fact you learn gives you a second one free. Learn the 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s first and a large part of the 12 × 12 chart is already done.

What is the trick for the 9 times table?

Multiply by 10 and take away the number once: 9 × 7 = 70 − 7 = 63. Or use your fingers: hold up ten fingers, fold down the 7th, and read 6 fingers on the left and 3 on the right: 63.

What is the trick for the 7 times table?

Split 7 into 5 + 2: 7 × 6 = 30 + 12 = 42. And remember 56 = 7 × 8 with the sequence 5, 6, 7, 8.

How do I remember the hardest facts?

Build them from facts you know. 6 × 8 is double 3 × 8 (24), so 48. 7 × 8 is one more 8 than 6 × 8, so 56. Doubling and "one more group" turn hard facts into easy steps.