Tag: tables

Children need an awful lot of practice and ‘overlearning’ if they are ever really going to know their tables. By knowing, I mean instant response, so that they know that 3 x 6 is 18 just as quickly as if they had been asked their name!

It’s always good to find a slightly different approach and this worksheet does just that. The numbers 0 to 10 and the numbers 3 times as great are all on the sheet. All that has to be done is link each pair.

Thanks to urbrainy.com for this page. They have an excellent range of maths games and worksheets for young children and the site is well worth a visit.

3 times table number links

The normal route through learning tables is to start with the twos and tens as these are probably the tables most familiar to children. The next stage is usually to learn the fives, followed by fours. The four times table has a number of characteristics which can be pointed out to help children. Firstly, all the answers are even, so must end in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8. Secondly it is double the two times tables. Doubling is a very powerful mental arithmetic tool and some cultures incorporate it into all their multiplying. Continue reading “Times tables: 4 times table”

This is a slightly harder worksheet than the last one published on the three times table. This page does not have a number line to help and the questions are asked in different order eg 6 x 3 or 3 x 6. This could be used as a timed challenge for those who are gaining confidence in learning the table.

Interestingly, when I whizzed through this page mentally I suddenly realised that I did not necessarily work out the answer in the order shown on the page. For example I thought of 2 x 3 as 2 x 3 = 6, but when it cam to 3 x 5 I thought of it as 5 x 3 = 15. I saw the two numbers which needed multiplying and automatically chose the easier way to do them. However, this would not be the case for children who do not know all their tables.

3 times table (2)

Here we have a worksheet on the 3x table which is ideal for those children just beginning to get to grips with learning tables. It includes a number line to help those who are still ‘counting on’.

The 3 times table is one of the harder tables to learn, as there is little in the way of pattern, but answers do alternate between odd and even. It is usually learned after the twos, tens and fives.

A good way of checking if an answer is correct is to see if the digits add up to 3, 6 or 9. eg 24: 2 + 4 = 6.

This page can be found in our Four Rules section, under multiplication/tables.

3 times table starter

Practice makes perfect, and this multiplication page gives loads of practice for the 2x, 5x and 10x tables. This is the first stage in introducing the idea of filling in a multiplication grid, multiplying the numbers across and down to fill in the grid.

The first time children come across this they will probably need some assistance, but once a couple have been completed they should be OK.

It is interesting to watch the techniques used to complete these grids. Some children proceed in strict order, others go for the easy ones first. It can be made more of a challenge to set a time limit for the whole page.

2x, 5x, 10x tables grids

This is the second page for tables 6 to 10. The idea is to fill in the grid as quickly as possible. The tens are easy, although never suggest that ‘add a naught’ will give the correct answer! The nines are interesting in that the digits have a digital root of 9 when added (1 + 8 = 9, 2 + 7 = 9 etc). The six, seven and eight times tables are probably the hardest for most children to learn.
When completing the grid various tactics can be used if the tables have not been thoroughly learned. For example, 6 x 9 is just 6 less than 6 x 10; 7 x 9 is 7 less than 7 x 10 etc.
Also if they know that 6 x 7 = 42 then use this to answer 7 x 6, which will also be 42.
However, the ultimate aim is to know tables off by heart.

6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 x tables pg 2