How to Learn Times Tables as an Adult (It's Not Too Late)

Plenty of adults never quite learnt their times tables, or learnt them once and lost them. You might be helping a child with homework, studying for a test, or just tired of reaching for your phone at the till. The good news is that adults learn these facts faster than children do, because you already understand multiplication. What's usually missing is a short list of facts, practised the right way. Our smart practice works for any age and needs no sign-up.

Is it too late to learn times tables as an adult?

No. Facts are learnt by recalling them, and that works at any age. Adults also bring real advantages: you know what 6 × 8 means, you can use strategies, and you choose to practise rather than being made to. What adults often bring as well is baggage from school, such as memories of timed tests or being put on the spot. If maths makes you tense, start untimed and go slowly; maths anxiety works the same way in grown-ups as in children.

How many times tables facts do you actually need to learn?

Fewer than you think. Here is how the list shrinks:

Step	Facts left
Every fact from 1 × 1 to 12 × 12	144
Count 3 × 7 and 7 × 3 as one fact	78
Only the 3s, 4s, 6s, 7s, 8s, 9s and 12s with each other	28

The 1s, 2s, 5s, 10s and 11s are easy for most adults, so the hard core is usually those 28 facts, such as 6 × 7, 7 × 8 and 8 × 12. Swapping the order is explained in why 3 × 7 = 7 × 3 halves the times tables.

What is the fastest way for an adult to learn times tables?

1. Find your gaps. Go through the times table grid and note any fact you can't answer in about three seconds. Our practice does this automatically and keeps a record of every fact.
2. Learn a way to work each one out. A strategy turns a forgotten fact into a quick calculation:
   • 4s: double, then double again (4 × 7 = 14, 28).
   • 8s: double three times (8 × 6 = 12, 24, 48).
   • 9s: ten times, minus one lot (9 × 7 = 70 − 7 = 63).
   • 12s: ten times plus two times (12 × 7 = 70 + 14 = 84).
   • 6s: the 5s plus one more (6 × 8 = 40 + 8 = 48).
   • 7 × 8: think 5, 6, 7, 8, so 56 = 7 × 8.
   More in times tables tricks that actually work, the 7 times table and finger multiplication for 6 to 10.
3. Practise recalling, not rereading. Cover the answer, say it, then check. Looking at a chart feels productive but builds little memory.
4. Little and often. Five minutes a day beats an hour on Sunday, because memories strengthen with gaps between practice. See why 5 minutes a day beats an hour; it applies to adults too.
5. Add speed last. Once you're accurate, a speed drill turns working out into instant recall.

How long does it take an adult to learn times tables?

Usually a few weeks rather than months, because you start with most facts already known. Five to ten minutes a day on the missing ones, with old ones mixed back in every few days, is enough. A fact is learnt when it comes in about three seconds, in random order, and is still there a week later. Children take longer; see how long it takes to learn times tables for the comparison.

What if numbers just won't stick?

For some adults, facts slip away however much they practise. That can be a sign of dyscalculia, a specific difficulty with numbers that is not about intelligence. Visual methods and strategies help more than drilling, and using a calculator for big sums is perfectly sensible. Read dyscalculia and times tables for the signs and what helps.

Can you learn alongside your child?

Yes, and it helps both of you. Practise the same table side by side, take turns asking each other, or race each other with a printed times table chart on the fridge. Children see that learning maths is normal at any age, and you'll understand exactly what they're being asked to do. For their side of it, start with how to learn times tables.