Topic 3 of 8
Step 5: Multiplication and first fractions
Times tables to 10 × 10
Step 5 · Multiplication and first fractions topics
Learn the times tables to 10 × 10 by building harder facts from easy ones: doubles, fives, tens, and splitting a fact into two smaller ones.
Facts you can build from
Some tables come almost for free. The 2s are doubles: 2 × 7 = 7 + 7 = 14. The 10s put a 0 on the end: 10 × 6 = 60. The 5s are half of the 10s: 5 × 6 is half of 60, which is 30.
| Fact | How to get it |
|---|---|
| 2 × 8 | Double 8: 16 |
| 4 × 8 | Double, then double again: 16, 32 |
| 10 × 8 | Put a 0 on: 80 |
| 5 × 8 | Half of 80: 40 |
The 4s are double the 2s, and the 8s are double the 4s. Each new table leans on one you already know.
Breaking a fact apart
When a fact is hard, split one number into two easier parts, multiply each part, and add. 7 × 6 is 5 × 6 plus 2 × 6.
The array shows why it works: the 7 rows are cut into 5 rows and 2 rows, and nothing is lost. So 7 × 6 = 30 + 12 = 42.
Example: Splitting a fact
What is 8 × 7?
- Split 8 into 5 and 3.
- 5 × 7 = 35 and 3 × 7 = 21.
- 35 + 21 = 56.
Answer56
Patterns in the table
The 9s have a pattern. 9 × 4 = 36: the tens digit, 3, is one less than 4, and the two digits add to 9. You can also take one group away from the 10s: 10 × 4 − 4 = 36.
Every answer in the 5 times table ends in 0 or 5. Every answer in the 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 tables is even.
Try it yourself
Work each one on paper first, then open the answer to check.
What is 6 × 4? Use double 3 × 4.
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24. 3 × 4 = 12, and double 12 is 24.
What is 5 × 9?
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45. It is half of 10 × 9 = 90.
Split 6 × 8 into 5 × 8 and 1 × 8. What is the product?
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48. 40 + 8 = 48.
What is 9 × 7?
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63. 10 × 7 = 70, and 70 − 7 = 63.
Is 7 × 5 odd or even?
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Odd. It is 35.