Multiplication Tables 1-20: Tips & Free PDF
You do not need to memorise 400 facts. With the right tricks and patterns, your child can master tables 1 to 20 faster than you think.
Why Tables Still Matter in 2026
In an age of calculators and AI, some parents wonder whether memorising multiplication tables is still necessary. The answer is yes, and here is why.
Multiplication tables are not just about knowing that 7 times 8 is 56. They build number sense, which is the intuitive feel for how numbers relate to each other. A child who knows their tables can estimate, check answers mentally, spot errors, and solve higher level problems faster. Algebra, fractions, division, percentages, and nearly every maths topic from Class 4 onward depends on multiplication fluency.
Think of tables as the vocabulary of maths. Just as you cannot read fluently without knowing words automatically, you cannot do maths fluently without knowing tables. The goal is not painful rote memorisation but effortless recall built through understanding and smart practice.
The Easy Tables: 1, 2, 5, 10, and 11
Start here. These five tables cover 100 out of 400 facts and require almost no memorisation.
The 1 times table is trivial: any number times 1 is itself. Every child already knows this.
The 2 times table is just doubling. If your child can add a number to itself, they know the 2 times table. 2 times 7 is 7 plus 7, which is 14.
The 5 times table has a beautiful pattern: every answer ends in 0 or 5, alternating. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and so on. If the multiplier is even, the answer ends in 0. If odd, it ends in 5. Most children find the 5s table effortless.
The 10 times table is the easiest of all: just put a zero after the number. 10 times 7 is 70, 10 times 13 is 130.
The 11 times table up to 11 times 9 repeats the digit: 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99. For 11 times 10 onward, there is a trick: for two digit numbers, split the digits and put their sum in the middle. So 11 times 12 gives you 1, then 1 plus 2 equals 3, then 2, making 132. This works up to 11 times 18 before you need to carry.
Tricks for the Middle Tables: 3, 4, 6, 7, 8
These are the tables that require the most effort, but clever tricks make them manageable.
The 3 Times Table: Digit Sum Pattern
The digital roots of the 3 times table follow a repeating cycle: 3, 6, 9, 3, 6, 9, 3, 6, 9, 3. That is, if you add up the digits of each answer, you always get 3, 6, or 9. This pattern helps children check their answers. Additionally, skip counting by 3 (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30) has a musical rhythm that makes it easy to chant.
The 4 Times Table: Double Double
The 4 times table is simply the 2 times table doubled. To find 4 times 7: first double 7 to get 14, then double 14 to get 28. This trick means your child never needs to memorise the 4 times table separately if they know their doubles. It also reinforces the connection between multiplication and doubling.
The 6 Times Table: Even Number Pattern
When 6 is multiplied by an even number, the answer ends in the same digit as the number being multiplied. 6 times 2 ends in 2 (12). 6 times 4 ends in 4 (24). 6 times 6 ends in 6 (36). 6 times 8 ends in 8 (48). This works because 6 times any even number is always even, and the pattern is predictable. For odd multipliers, the 6 times table is really the 5 times table plus the number: 6 times 7 is 5 times 7 plus 7, which is 35 plus 7, which is 42.
The 7 Times Table: The Hardest One
The 7 times table is widely considered the hardest because it has fewer obvious patterns. However, by the time a child reaches the 7 times table, they already know most of the facts from other tables thanks to the commutative property. 7 times 1 through 7 times 6 are all covered by earlier tables. That leaves only 7 times 7 (49), 7 times 8 (56), and 7 times 9 (63) as truly new facts. For 7 times 8, the mnemonic "five six seven eight" (5, 6, 7, 8 maps to 56 equals 7 times 8) is popular. For 7 times 7, "seven ate (8) 49 cookies" can work as a silly story.
The 8 Times Table: Double Double Double
Just as 4 is double double, 8 is double double double. To find 8 times 6: double 6 to get 12, double 12 to get 24, double 24 to get 48. The units digits also follow a descending even pattern: 8, 6, 4, 2, 0, 8, 6, 4, 2, 0. This makes it easy to check answers. If your child says 8 times 7 is 54, the units digit 4 does not fit the pattern (it should be 6), so they know to recalculate.
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The 9 Times Table: The Most Magical Table
The 9 times table has more tricks than any other, and children love discovering them.
The finger trick is the most famous. Hold up all 10 fingers. To multiply 9 by a number, fold down the finger at that position counting from the left. The fingers to the left of the folded finger give the tens digit, and the fingers to the right give the units digit. For 9 times 4, fold down the 4th finger: 3 fingers on the left, 6 on the right, answer is 36. This works for 9 times 1 through 9 times 10.
The digit sum trick: the digits of every answer in the 9 times table add up to 9. 9 (0 plus 9), 18 (1 plus 8), 27 (2 plus 7), 36 (3 plus 6), all the way to 81 (8 plus 1) and 90 (9 plus 0). This is a quick way to check answers.
The mirror pattern: the 9 times table from 1 to 10 has a beautiful symmetry. The tens digits go 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and the units digits go 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0. The two sequences mirror each other.
The subtract from 10 trick: 9 times any single digit number equals 10 times that number minus the number itself. 9 times 7 is 70 minus 7 which is 63. This also works for larger numbers and connects to the distributive property.
Tables 12 to 20: Building on What You Know
Once your child has mastered tables 1 to 10, tables 12 to 20 become much easier because every fact can be derived from the basics.
The general strategy is to break down any multiplication into known parts. For the 12 times table, 12 times a number is 10 times the number plus 2 times the number. So 12 times 7 is 70 plus 14 which is 84. Your child already knows both 10 times 7 and 2 times 7.
For the 13 times table, 13 times a number is 10 times the number plus 3 times the number. 13 times 6 is 60 plus 18 which is 78.
This pattern applies to every table from 11 to 19: break it into 10 times plus the remainder. 15 times 8 is 80 plus 40 which is 120. 17 times 4 is 40 plus 28 which is 68.
The 20 times table is simply double the 10 times table. 20 times 6 is 120, which is just 60 doubled.
For 14, 16, and 18, you can also use doubling. 14 is double 7, so 14 times a number is double the 7 times table answer. 14 times 6 is double 42, which is 84. Similarly, 16 is double 8, and 18 is double 9.
With these strategies, no child needs to memorise tables 12 to 20 as separate facts. They derive them from the tables 1 to 10 that they already know.
How to Practice Tables Effectively
Knowing tricks is one thing. Building automatic recall takes regular practice. Here is how to make practice effective without making it painful.
Do a little every day. Ten minutes of table practice daily is worth more than an hour on weekends. The brain consolidates memories during sleep, so daily exposure builds stronger recall than cramming.
Mix up the order. Reciting tables in order (3 times 1 is 3, 3 times 2 is 6) is a good starting point, but real fluency means knowing that 3 times 7 is 21 without having to count up from 3 times 1. Practice random order recall by using flashcards, dice games, or digital practice platforms.
Focus on the hard ones. Most children find certain facts consistently difficult: 6 times 7, 7 times 8, 8 times 7, 6 times 8, and 7 times 9 are the usual suspects. Create extra practice specifically for these facts.
Use SparkEd for daily practice. Our multiplication topic provides unlimited problems at three difficulty levels with visual solutions when your child gets stuck. It is free and aligned with the school syllabus.
How SparkEd Helps with Multiplication Mastery
SparkEd provides hundreds of multiplication practice problems that adapt to your child's level. Easy mode covers basic single digit multiplication, Medium introduces two digit numbers, and Hard challenges with multi step word problems.
Visual step by step solutions break down every problem so your child understands the reasoning, not just the answer. The AI tutor Spark Coach gives hints when your child is stuck, encouraging them to think rather than just providing the answer.
All content is aligned with CBSE, ICSE, and IB MYP curricula. Practice is free at sparkedmaths.com/play/3/cbse/multiplication
Written by the SparkEd Math Team
Built by an IITian and a Googler. Trusted by parents from Google, Microsoft, Meta, McKinsey and more.
Serving Classes 1 to 10 across CBSE, ICSE, IB MYP and Olympiad.
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