Our Times Table Challenge!

For most of the year we have been learning and practicing our times tables each day.

Times Table is actually another word for multiplication table. It is a table that shows the results of multiplying two numbers together.

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Learning your times tables is very important because you use them in many different types of real life problem solving situations.

 FOR EXAMPLE…

When your shopping for food and you need to work out how much it would cost to buy more than one of the same item.

Or…

If you are cooking you might need to make a double batch and would need to multiply the ingredients to find out how much you would need.

For the first 5 minutes of each Math’s lesson our class are practicing a chosen times table. This is done by setting the stopwatch for 5 minutes and then seeing how quickly and accurately we can write our times tables on our recording sheet.  The first goal is to make sure they are all correct. Once this is achieved then we can work on improving our speed in recalling each times table. Some of us have already completed all the way up to the 12 times table. When this happens we then move onto the ’50 Club challenges.’ There are many different levels  beginning with Level A (0-2 times tables) all the way up to the level called ‘beyond extreme’ where we have to multiple 3 numbers together. There are 50 questions for each level and we have 5 minutes to complete it. Once we have completed a level successfully our name is written up on the chart level.

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Below are some tips for learning your Times Tables.

Order does not matter– When we multiply 2 numbers together it does not matter which number is first or second, the answer is always the same. So don’t memorise both 3×5 and 5×3 just memorise that 3 and a  5 make 15 when multiplied.

Every multiplication has a twin – For example if you forget  8×5 it might be easier to remember 5×8. This way you only need to remember half of the times table chart.

x2 Tables: Is just doubling the number, the same as adding the number to itself.

x5 Tables: Have a pattern: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 etc. It ends in either a 0 or a 5.

x6 Tables:  When you multiply 6 by an even number, they both end in the same digit. Example: 2=12, 6×4=24, 6×6=36, etc

x9 Tables:  Have a pattern  9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81, 90

Now notice how the “units” place value goes down 9,8,7,6,5… and at the same time the “tens” place value goes up 1,2,3, 4…?

Use your hands to help. For example for 9×8, hold down your eighth finger and you can count 7 and 2 which is 72.

courtesy of mathsisfun.com

Also when you add the answer’s digits together, you get 9.
Example: 9×5=45 and 4+5=9. (But not with 9×11=99)

x10 Tables: Are the easiest of them all, just add a zero after it eg: 10×2 = 20, 10×3 = 30

x11 Tables: Up to 9×11: just repeat the digit (Example: 4×11 = 44). For 10×11 to 12×11: write the sum of the digits between the digits; Example: 12×11 = 1(2+1)1 = 131

x12 Tables: You can x10 add x2 eg: for 12 x 4 you can go 10×4 = 40 and 4 x2 = 8, add those answers together to get 48.

There are loads of fun games and songs that you can listen to and play to help you learn your times tables. Check out our math’s websites under the educational websites menu.

Can you think of an example in everyday life where you might use time tables to solve a problem?

What have you used, played or listened to that has helped you learn your times tables?

Why do you think learning your times tables is important?

One thought on “Our Times Table Challenge!

  1. Dear Mrs Baldwin

    If you were building something and you need to get 5 lots of 10 you would times it you would get.
    I imagine it in my mind
    it really depends on what job you want

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