Times Tables Tricks That Actually Work (1× to 12×)
By the TimesTable.co team · Updated · 3 min read
Tricks won't replace practice, but they do something just as important: they give a stuck child a way to work an answer out instead of guessing. Every trick below uses facts your child already knows to reach one they don't, which is exactly the kind of thinking good mathematicians do. Here is a trick for every table from 1 to 12.
Which tricks work for the easy tables (1, 2, 5 and 10)?
- 1s: any number times 1 stays the same. 1 × 9 = 9.
- 2s: double the number. 2 × 8 is 8 + 8 = 16. Answers are always even.
- 5s: answers end in 5 or 0, and 5 × any number is half of 10 × that number. 5 × 8 is half of 80, which is 40.
- 10s: put a 0 on the end. Really, every digit moves up one place. 10 × 7 = 70.
How does doubling help with the 4, 8 and 6 times tables?
This is the single most powerful trick:
- 4s = double, double. 4 × 7: double 7 is 14, double 14 is 28.
- 8s = double, double, double. 8 × 6: 12, 24, 48. (More in our 8 times table guide.)
- 6s = double the 3s. 6 × 7: 3 × 7 is 21, double it to 42. (See the 6 times table guide.)
What is the trick for the 3 times table?
Add the number to its double: 3 × 8 is 8 + 16 = 24. There's also a check: the digits of every answer in the 3s add up to 3, 6 or 9 (for 24, 2 + 4 = 6).
What is the trick for the 9 times table?
Two tricks. The finger trick: hold up ten fingers, fold down the one you are multiplying by, and read the tens on the left and ones on the right. And the 10 minus 1 trick: 9 × 7 is 10 × 7 minus 7, so 70 − 7 = 63. Both are explained step by step in the 9 times table finger trick.
What is the trick for the 7 times table?
Split 7 into 5 + 2. For 7 × 8: 5 × 8 = 40 and 2 × 8 = 16, so 56. And one memory hook worth teaching: 5, 6, 7, 8 → 56 = 7 × 8. Read more in how to learn the 7 times table.
What are the tricks for the 11 and 12 times tables?
- 11s: up to 11 × 9, write the digit twice: 11 × 6 = 66. For 11 × 10, 11 × 11 and 11 × 12, use 10 + 1: 11 × 12 is 120 + 12 = 132. The 11 times table trick has more.
- 12s: 10 + 2. 12 × 7 is 70 + 14 = 84.
Is there a trick for the 6 to 10 times tables using fingers?
Yes, an old method where you touch two fingers together and count. It's slower than recall but great fun, and it works for every fact from 6 × 6 to 10 × 10. See finger multiplication.
How do you turn tricks into instant recall?
Use the trick when stuck, then say the fact aloud: "7 × 8 is 56". Next time, try to remember before reaching for the trick. Over a few weeks of short sessions the trick fades and the fact stays. Practise a single table with times table practice, mix everything with smart practice, and keep a times table chart nearby for checking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best times tables trick?
Doubling is the most useful because it works across several tables: double the 2s for the 4s, double the 4s for the 8s, and double the 3s for the 6s.
Is there a trick for the 7 times table?
Split 7 into 5 and 2. For 7 × 6, work out 5 × 6 = 30 and 2 × 6 = 12, then add them to get 42. For 7 × 8, remember 5, 6, 7, 8: 56 = 7 × 8.
Are tricks cheating?
No. Tricks help children work out a fact they have not memorised yet, and they build number sense. The goal is still to recall facts instantly, so keep practising alongside the tricks.
What is the trick for the 9 times table?
Hold up ten fingers and fold down the finger for the number you are multiplying by. Fingers to the left are the tens and fingers to the right are the ones: for 9 × 4 that is 3 and 6, so 36.
Is there a trick for multiplying by 12?
Multiply by 10, multiply by 2, and add the two answers. For 12 × 7 that is 70 + 14 = 84.
How can I check a times tables answer quickly?
Use patterns: answers in the 2, 4, 6 and 8 tables are always even, 5s end in 0 or 5, and the digits of 9s answers up to 9 × 10 add up to 9.