The best tricks for every times table
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Every times table has its own trick to make it easier to remember. The 9 times table has the finger trick, the 5 times table always ends in 0 or 5, and the 11 times table is just the digit written twice (up to × 9). Here are the most useful tricks for each table, in one place.
1 times table: nothing to learn
Any number × 1 stays the same. 1 × 7 = 7, 1 × 9 = 9. The 1 times table is not really a table — it is the idea of multiplying.
2 times table: just double
2 × a number is double that number. 2 × 7 = 14, 2 × 8 = 16. All answers are even.
3 times table: digit sum is always 3, 6, or 9
Add the digits of an answer until you have one digit. 3 × 7 = 21, and 2 + 1 = 3. 3 × 8 = 24, and 2 + 4 = 6. Works across the whole table.
4 times table: double the double
4 × a number is that number doubled twice. 4 × 7: first 14, then 28. Or: 4 × X = 2 × (2 × X).
5 times table: ends in 0 or 5
Even number × 5 ends in 0 (5 × 4 = 20). Odd number × 5 ends in 5 (5 × 7 = 35). Alternative: 5 × X is half of 10 × X.
6 times table: 5 × X + X
6 × 7 is the same as 5 × 7 + 7 = 35 + 7 = 42. Works for every fact in the 6 times table, as long as you know the 5 times table fluently.
7 times table: anchor facts
No pattern, sadly. But there are anchor facts: memorise 7 × 5 = 35, 7 × 7 = 49, and 7 × 10 = 70. For the rest: add or subtract 7 from an anchor.
Memory trick for 7 × 8: 5, 6, 7, 8 — 56 = 7 × 8.
8 times table: triple the doubling
8 × a number is that number doubled three times. 8 × 7: 7 → 14 → 28 → 56. Or: 10 × X − 2 × X (8 × 7 = 70 − 14 = 56).
9 times table: three tricks in one table
Finger trick: hold up all ten fingers and bend the one matching the other number. Fingers to the left are the tens, fingers to the right are the ones.
10 × X − X: 9 × 7 = 70 − 7 = 63. Always works.
Digit sum: up to 9 × 10, every answer's digits add to 9. 9 × 7 = 63, and 6 + 3 = 9. Useful for checking.
10 times table: add a zero
10 × a number is that number with a 0 after it. 10 × 7 = 70. The easiest table of all.
11 times table: write the digit twice (up to × 9)
11 × 1 = 11, 11 × 2 = 22, 11 × 7 = 77. Works for single digits up to 9. From 11 × 10: 10 × X + X (11 × 12 = 120 + 12 = 132).
12 times table: 10 × X + 2 × X
12 × 7 = 70 + 14 = 84. Works for every fact. Do memorise 12 × 12 = 144 as an anchor.
Do these tricks really work, or are they gimmicks?+
They really work. The finger trick for the 9 times table is mathematically correct (based on the fact that 9 = 10 − 1). The digit-sum trick for 3 and 9 is also mathematically sound.
What if a trick does not work for my child?+
Not every trick works for every child. A visual child often loves the finger trick. A child who is strong at addition prefers 5 × X + X. Try a few and pick what sticks.
How long should children keep using tricks?+
Until the answer comes by itself. Tricks are a stepping stone. A child who still calculates 7 × 8 as 7 × 7 + 7 is doing fine but is not yet automatic. The goal is for 56 to just appear.
Which trick is the most important to know?+
5 × X + X for the 6 times table, and 10 × X − X for the 9 times table. Those two cover the harder tables without needing anything new.