Times tables 1 to 10 — third-grade introduction

Times tables 1 to 10 — third-grade introduction

Times tables 1 to 10

This year you become a times-tables wizard. You will learn every multiplication fact from 1 × 1 up to 10 × 10. That sounds like a lot — one hundred facts! — but the secret is that there are only really half as many to learn, thanks to a clever trick called commutativity.

What is multiplication?

Multiplication is fast addition of equal groups.

4 baskets, with 6 apples each.

6 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 24.

The short version: 4 × 6 = 24.

Whenever you have equal groups, you can multiply.

Four baskets each holding six apples — total 24 apples

The commutative trick

Here is the magic: a × b is the same as b × a.

4 × 6 = 24

6 × 4 = 24

So if you know 4 × 6 = 24, you also know 6 × 4 = 24. That cuts your homework in half!

Two arrays — one of 4 rows × 6, one of 6 rows × 4 — both with 24 dots

What you will learn here

Try it now

When the times tables are in your head, division also gets much easier — because division is multiplication backwards.