How to Remember Your Times Tables

Having a good grasp on the multiplication table is critical to a child's success in math. Multiplication is taught as early as second grade and continues throughout their learning years. Not everyone can easily memorize times tables so the key is learning tricks to help figure out math equations.

Instructions

1

Learn the basics. Any number multiplied by 0 equals 0. Any number multiplied by 1 equals that number. When multiplying any number by 10, put a zero at the end of the number. For instance 10 x 11 = 110.

2

Learn the "doubles". When multiplying a number by 2, double that number. 2 x 4 = 8, 4 + 4 = 8; 2 x 12 = 24, 12 + 12 = 24. When multiplying a number by 4, "double-double" the number you are multiplying. For example 4 x 6 = 24, 6 doubled is 12, 12 doubled is 24. Double three times when multiplying by 8. 8 x 3 = 24, 3 doubled is 6, 6 doubled is 12, 12 doubled is 24.

3

A number multiplied by 5 will end in zero or five. When multiplying an even number by 5 the answer will be half the number with a zero after it. So to work out 5 x 12, add a zero to the 12, to get 120, and halve it, to get 60. When multiplying an odd number by 5, subtract 1 from that number, cut the number in half, then add a five after it. So to find 5 x 15, take 1 away from 15 to get 14, halve of 14 to get 7, and put a five after the 7 to get 75.

4

Simplify the 9 times table by remembering this phrase: "1 through 9 multiplied by 9 equals 9." When multiplying the numbers 1 through 9 by 9, the digits in the product (answer), when added together, will equal 9. For instance, 9 x 8 = 72, 7 + 2 = 9. The trick is finding which digits make up the answer. To do this, subtract 1 from the number you are multiplying by 9 then put next to it the digit that will make 9. For example, to get 9 x 6, take 1 from 6, to get 5. To make 5 up to 9 you need to add 4, so the answer is 54.