How to Learn the 9 Times Table: 10 Minus 1
By the TimesTable.co team · Updated · 3 min read
The 9 times table looks hard, because the numbers are big and it comes late. In fact it has more patterns than any other table, and once a child sees them the 9s often become a favourite. This plan starts with the method that works for every fact, then adds the patterns that make the answers quick to check.
What is the 9 times table?
| Fact | Answer | Fact | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 × 9 | 9 | 7 × 9 | 63 |
| 2 × 9 | 18 | 8 × 9 | 72 |
| 3 × 9 | 27 | 9 × 9 | 81 |
| 4 × 9 | 36 | 10 × 9 | 90 |
| 5 × 9 | 45 | 11 × 9 | 99 |
| 6 × 9 | 54 | 12 × 9 | 108 |
How much of the 9 times table does your child already know?
Most of it. By the time the 9s come round, your child has met 9 × 2 in the 2 times table, 9 × 3 in the 3s, 9 × 4 in the 4s, and so on, because 9 × 4 and 4 × 9 are the same fact. If they know their tables up to 8, the only new facts are 9 × 9, 9 × 11 and 9 × 12. Saying this out loud takes a lot of the fear away. You can see it on the times table grid: the 9s row is mostly facts from other rows.
Trick 1: What is the 10 minus 1 method?
Nine is one less than ten. So nine groups of a number is ten groups, with one group taken away:
- 9 × 4: 10 × 4 = 40, take away 4, 36.
- 9 × 7: 10 × 7 = 70, take away 7, 63.
- 9 × 8: 10 × 8 = 80, take away 8, 72.
- 9 × 12: 10 × 12 = 120, take away 12, 108.
This is the method to teach first, because it is real maths and not a memory trick, and it never runs out. An area model of 9 × 7 shows it well: picture a 10 by 7 rectangle with one row of 7 sliced off. It relies on a secure 10 times table, so check that first.
Trick 2: What are the patterns in the answers?
Write the answers in a column and look at each digit:
| Fact | Tens digit | Ones digit | Digits add to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 × 2 = 18 | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| 9 × 3 = 27 | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| 9 × 4 = 36 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 9 × 5 = 45 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 9 × 6 = 54 | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| 9 × 7 = 63 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| 9 × 8 = 72 | 7 | 2 | 9 |
| 9 × 9 = 81 | 8 | 1 | 9 |
The tens digit climbs by one, the ones digit drops by one, and the two always add up to 9. Notice too that the tens digit is one less than the number you multiplied by. That gives a two-step way to write any answer: for 9 × 8, one less than 8 is 7, and 7 needs 2 to make 9, so the answer is 72.
Trick 3: How do you check an answer with the digit sum?
If the digits of an answer don't add up to 9, it isn't in the 9 times table. A child who writes 9 × 6 = 56 can catch it themselves: 5 + 6 = 11, so something is wrong. This also explains a common slip, swapping 54 and 45 or 63 and 36. Both pass the digit check, so use the "one less" rule to decide: 9 × 6 has to start with 5.
What about the finger trick?
Hold up ten fingers, fold down the one that matches the number you're multiplying by, and read the tens on the left and the ones on the right. It is the same "one less, makes 9" pattern, shown on your hands. The steps and pictures are in the 9 times table finger trick. It is a good confidence boost for a child who feels stuck, as long as it is a starting point and not the finish.
How do you work out 9 × 11 and 9 × 12?
The digit patterns change after 9 × 10, so go back to 10 minus 1: 9 × 11 = 110 − 11 = 99, and 9 × 12 = 120 − 12 = 108. The digit sum still works, though: 9 + 9 = 18, which is a multiple of 9, and 1 + 0 + 8 = 9.
How does the 9 times table link to the 3s?
Nine is 3 × 3, so every answer in the 9 times table is also in the 3 times table. To multiply by 9, you can multiply by 3 and then by 3 again: 9 × 4 is 3 × 4 = 12, then 3 × 12 = 36. It is slower than 10 minus 1, but it is a nice check, and it helps later with fractions and factors.
How can you practise the 9 times table at home?
- Five minutes a day on the 9 times table practice page, which starts without a timer.
- Ask your child to explain how they got an answer. "70 take away 7" is a better sign than a lucky guess.
- Practise the swapped pairs side by side: 9 × 5 = 45 and 9 × 6 = 54, 9 × 4 = 36 and 9 × 7 = 63.
- Once the facts are steady, mix the 9s with other tables in smart practice.
The 9s sit close to the 7 times table and the 8 times table in most schools' plans, and the three share their hardest facts. Learn 9 × 7 and 9 × 8 here and those tables get shorter too.
Share this article
Frequently asked questions
What is the 9 times table up to 12?
9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81, 90, 99, 108.
What is the easiest way to learn the 9 times table?
Multiply by 10 and take one group away. For 9 × 7, 10 × 7 = 70, and 70 − 7 = 63. It works for every fact, including 9 × 11 and 9 × 12.
What is the pattern in the 9 times table?
From 9 × 1 to 9 × 10 the tens digit goes up by one each time and the ones digit goes down by one, and the two digits of every answer add up to 9.
How can you tell if a number is in the 9 times table?
Add up its digits. If the total is 9, or a multiple of 9 such as 18, the number is in the 9 times table. For 108, 1 + 0 + 8 = 9.
Which 9 times table facts are hardest?
Usually 9 × 6 = 54, 9 × 7 = 63, 9 × 8 = 72 and 9 × 12 = 108. Work them out from the 10s: 60 − 6, 70 − 7, 80 − 8 and 120 − 12.
When do children learn the 9 times table?
In England the 9 times table is taught in Year 4 (age 8 to 9), along with the 6s, 7s, 11s and 12s. In the US, children learn all single-digit facts, including the 9s, in Grade 3.
Is the finger trick enough to learn the 9 times table?
It is a good way to start, but it stops at 9 × 10 and it is slower than knowing the fact. Use it to get answers right at first, then practise until your child no longer needs their hands.