Times tables practice

Knowing your times tables by heart makes every multiplication and division faster. Here is the full chart, the facts worth extra attention, and how to go past 12.

The 12 × 12 chart

Half of the chart is free: 7 × 8 and 8 × 7 are the same fact. Most of the rest follows easy patterns. The highlighted squares are the ones most people find hardest.

×	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
1	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
2	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24
3	3	6	9	12	15	18	21	24	27	30	33	36
4	4	8	12	16	20	24	28	32	36	40	44	48
5	5	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60
6	6	12	18	24	30	36	42	48	54	60	66	72
7	7	14	21	28	35	42	49	56	63	70	77	84
8	8	16	24	32	40	48	56	64	72	80	88	96
9	9	18	27	36	45	54	63	72	81	90	99	108
10	10	20	30	40	50	60	70	80	90	100	110	120
11	11	22	33	44	55	66	77	88	99	110	121	132
12	12	24	36	48	60	72	84	96	108	120	132	144

Patterns that do most of the work

× 2, × 5, × 10: double; half of × 10; add a zero.
× 4: double, then double again.
× 9: × 10, then take the number away once. The digits of the answer also add up to 9: 9 × 7 = 63, and 6 + 3 = 9.
× 11 up to 9: the digit twice (11 × 7 = 77). 11 × 11 = 121 and 11 × 12 = 132.
× 12: × 10 plus × 2.

The hard ones

That leaves a small set of facts with no shortcut, mostly where both numbers are 6, 7 or 8. Learn them on purpose:

6 × 7 = 42

6 × 8 = 48 · 7 × 7 = 49

7 × 8 = 56

"5, 6, 7, 8": 56 = 7 × 8 · 8 × 8 = 64

12 × 7 = 84

10 × 7 = 70 → 2 × 7 = 14 → 84

A good way to learn them: say a fact, then its reverse as division. "7 × 8 = 56, 56 ÷ 8 = 7". Speed comes from recall, so practise with a clock running.

Times tables are division tables too

Every fact gives you two divisions for free. If you know 7 × 12 = 84, you know 84 ÷ 7 = 12 and 84 ÷ 12 = 7.

84 ÷ 7 = 12

7 × ? = 84 → 7 × 12 = 84 → 12

Past 12: split into tens and ones

Numbers like 23 × 7 aren't in the chart, but they're two chart facts added together. Multiply the tens, multiply the ones, then add.

23 × 7 = 161

20 × 7 = 140 → 3 × 7 = 21 → 140 + 21 = 161

When the number is just below a round ten, subtract instead.

19 × 6 = 114

20 × 6 = 120 → 120 − 6 = 114

26 × 4 = 104

26 → 52 → 104 (double twice)

Each daily sprint's last multiplication is one of these, a number from 13 to 29 times one from 3 to 9, and its last division undoes one, like 161 ÷ 23.

Questions

Which times tables are the hardest?

The facts where both numbers are 6, 7 or 8, such as 6 × 7, 6 × 8, 7 × 8 and 8 × 8, along with 12 × 7 and 12 × 8. Most other facts follow a pattern.

How can I learn times tables fast?

Learn the patterns first (× 2, 5, 9, 10, 11), which leave only a few facts to memorise. Then practise those with a timer a few minutes each day, saying each fact with its division too.

How do I multiply numbers bigger than 12 in my head?

Split the bigger number into tens and ones: 23 × 7 is 20 × 7 plus 3 × 7, which is 140 + 21 = 161.

×	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
1	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
2	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24
3	3	6	9	12	15	18	21	24	27	30	33	36
4	4	8	12	16	20	24	28	32	36	40	44	48
5	5	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60
6	6	12	18	24	30	36	42	48	54	60	66	72
7	7	14	21	28	35	42	49	56	63	70	77	84
8	8	16	24	32	40	48	56	64	72	80	88	96
9	9	18	27	36	45	54	63	72	81	90	99	108
10	10	20	30	40	50	60	70	80	90	100	110	120
11	11	22	33	44	55	66	77	88	99	110	121	132
12	12	24	36	48	60	72	84	96	108	120	132	144

×	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
1	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
2	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24
3	3	6	9	12	15	18	21	24	27	30	33	36
4	4	8	12	16	20	24	28	32	36	40	44	48
5	5	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60
6	6	12	18	24	30	36	42	48	54	60	66	72
7	7	14	21	28	35	42	49	56	63	70	77	84
8	8	16	24	32	40	48	56	64	72	80	88	96
9	9	18	27	36	45	54	63	72	81	90	99	108
10	10	20	30	40	50	60	70	80	90	100	110	120
11	11	22	33	44	55	66	77	88	99	110	121	132
12	12	24	36	48	60	72	84	96	108	120	132	144