Download Times Tables Leaflet - Willow Tree Community Primary School

Times tables
We cannot get away from the fact that all children need to learn their tables and
should be confident with them by the end of Year 4.
Generally we learn them in the following groups
2x, 10x, 5x
3x, 4x
6x, 8x
9x, 7x
11x, 12x (when all the others are secure)
They need to be able to chant them and quickly recall them in answer to a
question e.g.
4x7 =
What is 6 divided by 3?
8 lots of 6 is?
The following booklet contains some help for parents and children for learning
multiplication facts.
Table facts should be practised several times a week and there are several
good computer programs (listed on the enclosed sheets) which will help.
Did you know that once your child knows their tables and has completed our
timed assessment they will get a special certificate in Star Award Assembly.
HOW TO LEARN (based on lessons from:
http://www.multiplication.com/index.htm )
The zero multiplication facts
Multiplication is repeated addition so:
0x3=0+0+0=0
0x7=0+0+0+0+0+0+0=0
Because of the commutative property of multiplication:
0x4=4x0=0
0x9=9x0=0
Any number times zero is always zero!
The one multiplication facts
Multiplication is repeated addition so:
1x4=1+1+1+1=4
1x2=1+1=2
1x5=1+1+1+1+1=5
3x1=3
9x1=9
Because of the commutative property of multiplication:
1x4=4x1=4
1x8=8x1=8
Any number times one is always itself!
There are 100 multiplication facts to learn. There are 64 multiplication facts
without the 0's and 1's to learn. Because of the commutative property of
multiplication, you don't need to learn both 3 x 4 and 4 x 3. The answer is the
same. You don't have to worry about 28
more of them.
There are 36 multiplication facts without the 0's, 1's, and repeats.
The TWO multiplication facts
Multiplication is repeated addition so:
2 x 4 = 4 + 4 = 8 (or 2 fours)
2 x 3 = 3 + 3 = 6 (or 2 threes)
2 x 5 = 5 + 5 = 10 (or 2 fives)
Because of the commutative property of multiplication:
4x2=2x4=8
8 x 2 = 2 x 8 = 16
Any number times two is the number doubled!
2 x 7 would be 7 + 7 or 14
6 x 2 would be 6 + 6 or 12
The FIVE multiplication facts
3 x 5 would be 3 fives. Count by five to the third number. 5, 10, 15 (The answer
is 15, because the third number, when you count by fives, is 15)
6 x 5 would be 6 fives. Count by fives to the sixth number. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30
(The answer is 30.)
Because of the commutative property of multiplication:
5 x 3 = 3 x 5 = 15
5 x 6 = 6 x 5 = 30
If you are multiplying five times and even number. Take half of the number and
put a zero after it. (The FIVES are half way through the 0 - 9 multiplication facts.
This helps you remember to take half of each number)
For example 5 x 6 (6 is even)
Take half of 6 (3)
Add a zero - 30
Another example 5 x 8
Take half of 8 (4)
Add a zero - 40
If you are multiplying 5 times an odd number, subtract 1 from the number and
halve the number. Then put a 5 after it.
For example 5 x 7 (7 is odd)
Subtract one from 7 (6)
Take half of 6 (3)
Add a five - 35
Another example 5 x 9
Subtract one from 9 (8)
Take half of 8 (4)
Add a five – 45
These two multiplication facts are as easy as counting.
12 = 3 x 4 (Notice the numbers go 1, 2, 3, 4)
56 = 7 x 8 (These also go in order 5, 6, 7, 8)
Remember these sentences.
One two (12) equals three times four (3x4)
Five Six (56) equals seven times eight (7x8)
Because of the commutative property of multiplication
3x4=4x3
7x8=8x7
Remember the FOURs as a double-double
Double-double the number you are multiplying four by. (Double it twice)
4 x 3 (Double 3 twice)
3 doubled is 6, 6 doubled is 12
4 x 6 (Double 6 twice)
6 doubled is 12, 12 doubled is 24)
Another way to figure the answer is double the answer you would get if you
multiplied the number by 2.
4 x 3 (Double the 2 x 3 answer)
The answer to 3 x 2 = 6
Double the 6 to get 12
4 x 6 (Double the 2 x 6 answer)
The answer to 2 x 6 = 12
Double the 12 to get 24
Here are some rhymes that will help you remember some of the remaining
times tables.
8 x 8 = 64
He ate and he ate and he sticks in the door, eight times eight is sixty-four.
Eight times eight fell on the floor, picked it up it's sixty four.
6 x 6 = 36
Six times six equals thirty six (It rhymes)
Chicks, Chicks, dirty chicks - six times six is thirty six.
3x3=9
Swing from tree to tree on a vine, three times three is the number nine.
For helpful hints on how to learn the remaining tables.
Use the games (http://www.multiplication.com/interactive_games.htm) and
activities
(http://www.multiplication.com/activities.htm)
What can you do?
In the following section we have listed some of the ideas the school would
encourage. A 'brute force' method of 'learn them all and fill this sheet in every
night' may work for some children but puts other children off. Each child will
have an optimum way of learning new information. Some children benefit from
seeing, some from doing and others from hearing.
A simple card game
There are many card games which have been specifically designed to help
children learn their multiplication tables but you can easily make your own. Why
not make up several sets of 0-12 cards, you could use a normal set of playing
cards but you would need to assign numbers to the Jack, Queen and King
(11,12 and 0).
The card game itself is a simple variation on Snap.
1. Cut the cards into two piles and place each of the piles face down.
2. Player 1 turns over the top card on each pile.
3. Each player tries to be the first to shout the correct answer to the two cards
values multiplied together.
4. The first person to call out the correct answer wins the two cards.
5. The players alternate turning over the top cards on the piles until all cards
have been won.
6. The overall winner is the player with most cards at the end of the game.
This game can be adapted for learning up to 10x10 by using cards numbered 010 or removing the Jack and Queen from a normal pack and assigning the King
as a zero.
Try:
• Take turns.
• Take a card and roll a dice.
• Multiply the two numbers.
• Write down the answer. Keep a running total.
• The first to go over 301 wins!
If you do not want to make your own game, you can buy ‘times table snap’
(Amazon UK, £3.49)
Repetition
Instead of hundreds of tables a night, try asking your child the same two or
three questions once or twice a night until they learn them (as soon as they
enter the house after school). It's amazing how annoying this can be and how
quickly they'll learn the facts. If you want a really annoying version of this, let
them ask you some every night as well.
Bingo!
One person has the 2x table and the other has the 5x table. Write six numbers
in that table on your piece of paper, e.g. If you have the 2x table 4 8 10 16 18 20
Roll one or two dice. If you choose to roll two dice, add the numbers, e.g. roll
two dice, get 3 and 4, add these to make 7.
Multiply that number by 2 or by 5 (that is, by your table number, e.g. 7 x 2 or 7 x
5).
If the answer is on your paper, cross it out.
The first to cross out all six of their numbers wins.
Tables
Practise all the tables up to 10x10. Say them forwards and backwards.
Ask your child questions like:
What are five threes? What is 15 divided by 5?
Seven times three? How many threes in 21?
Nine sixes? How many sixes in 42?
Six times four? Forty-eight divided by six?
Three multiplied by six? Six times what equals sixty
Help them to use the table facts they remember easily to get to those which are
harder:
You can always say it the other way round - three eights are 24, so are eight
threes.
Children usually find that facts like six sixes = 36, seven sevens = 49 are easily
learnt by their sound. Use them to reach others - for instance eight sixes will be
six sixes and two more sixes: 36 + 12 is 48, or eight sevens will be seven more
than 49.
Once you know the 2 times, 5 times, 10 times and 3 times tables, you can
quickly reach others:
"two sevens are 14, so four sevens will be twice 14"
"five fours (four fives) are twenty. Seven fours are 8 more, that's 28".
Rhymes
Make up rhymes together to help your child to remember the harder timestables facts, e.g.
6 x 7 = 42 phew! 7 x 7 = 49 fine! 6 x 8 = 48 great!