How to Learn the 2 Times Table: Doubling Made Easy
By the TimesTable.co team · Updated · 3 min read
The 2 times table is usually the first one children learn properly, and it is the best place to start, because most children already know it without realising. If your child can double a number, they can do the 2 times table. The job is to connect "double 6" to "2 × 6" and then make the answers quick.
What is the 2 times table?
| Fact | Answer | Fact | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 × 2 | 2 | 7 × 2 | 14 |
| 2 × 2 | 4 | 8 × 2 | 16 |
| 3 × 2 | 6 | 9 × 2 | 18 |
| 4 × 2 | 8 | 10 × 2 | 20 |
| 5 × 2 | 10 | 11 × 2 | 22 |
| 6 × 2 | 12 | 12 × 2 | 24 |
What does "2 times" actually mean?
2 × 6 means two groups of six, or six groups of two. Pairs are everywhere at home: socks, shoes, gloves, eyes, wheels on a bike. Line up six pairs of socks and count the socks: that's 6 × 2 = 12. Then look at a dot array of 2 × 6, which is two rows of six. It's the same twelve dots either way, which is why 2 × 6 and 6 × 2 are the same fact.
Trick 1: Why is the 2 times table just doubling?
Multiplying by 2 is adding a number to itself. Most children learn their doubles in their first years at school, long before anyone mentions times tables:
- Double 3 is 3 + 3 = 6, so 2 × 3 = 6.
- Double 6 is 6 + 6 = 12, so 2 × 6 = 12.
- Double 12 is 12 + 12 = 24, so 2 × 12 = 24.
Say both versions together for a while ("double 6, two sixes, twelve") until your child hears them as the same question.
Trick 2: How do you count in twos?
Count in twos on stairs, on walks, or while putting away shoes: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12… Tap a finger for each step so your child can see which fact they've reached: the eighth finger is 16, so 8 × 2 = 16. You can see the same hops on a number line. Once the counting is smooth, stop counting and ask the facts out of order, so the table doesn't stay a chant.
Trick 3: What is the even-number pattern?
Every answer in the 2 times table is even, and the last digits repeat in a loop of five:
| Answers | Last digits |
|---|---|
| 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 | 2, 4, 6, 8, 0 |
| 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 | 2, 4, 6, 8, 0 |
| 22, 24 | 2, 4 |
This gives your child a quick check. If they say 2 × 7 = 13, the answer is odd, so it can't be right. It also means any number ending in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 can be shared equally between two people.
How do you work out the tricky 2s facts?
The doubles that cross over 10 are the ones that slow children down. Split the number into 5 and a bit, and double each part:
- 2 × 7: double 5 is 10, double 2 is 4, so 14.
- 2 × 8: double 5 is 10, double 3 is 6, so 16.
- 2 × 9: double 10 is 20, take away 2, so 18.
- 2 × 12: double 10 is 20, double 2 is 4, so 24.
Why is the 2 times table worth learning well?
Because doubling is the engine behind half the other tables. The 4 times table is the 2s doubled, and the 8 times table is the 4s doubled. The 6s are double the 3s. That's why the 2s come near the start of the best order to learn times tables. The 2s also teach halving, which is dividing by 2: if 2 × 8 = 16, then half of 16 is 8.
How can you practise the 2 times table at home?
- Five minutes a day on the 2 times table practice page, which starts without a timer.
- Roll a dice and double it. With two dice added together, you cover doubles up to 12.
- Count things that come in pairs: "How many shoes do five people need?"
- Print a 2 times table worksheet for a quick check on paper.
When the 2s are secure, move on to the 10 times table and the 5 times table, which are taught in the same school year.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 2 times table up to 12?
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24.
What is the easiest way to learn the 2 times table?
Treat it as doubling. 2 × 6 is double 6, which is 6 + 6 = 12. Children who already know their doubles to 12 already know the whole table.
When do children learn the 2 times table?
In England the 2 times table is taught in Year 2 (age 6 to 7), together with the 5s and 10s. In the US, children meet equal groups in Grade 2 and learn the facts in Grade 3.
How can you tell if a number is in the 2 times table?
Look at its last digit. If it ends in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 it is an even number, and every even number is in the 2 times table.
Which 2 times table facts are hardest?
Usually 2 × 7 = 14, 2 × 8 = 16 and 2 × 9 = 18, because the doubles cross over 10. Split the number into 5 and a bit: double 7 is double 5 plus double 2, so 10 + 4 = 14.
Which tables does the 2 times table help with?
The 4s are the 2s doubled and the 8s are the 4s doubled. The 2s also give half of the 6s, 10s and 12s, so they are the foundation for most of the even tables.
Should my child count in twos or learn the facts?
Both, in that order. Counting in twos builds the sequence, but a child who has to count up to reach 2 × 9 does not yet know the fact. Move on to questions out of order once the counting is smooth.