The Times Tables

The times tables for 1 to 10

Video Crash Courses

Want to watch animated videos and solve interactive exercises about the times tables? Click here to try Video Crash Courses!

What Is Multiplication?

Multiplication can be defined in the following way: Assume that you have a number a (where a can be any number). If you add a to itself b times, that can be written like this:

a + a + + ab times

This can be tiresome in the long run, especially when b becomes large. That’s where multiplication enters the picture. By definition, the sum above can also be written like this:

a + a + + ab times = b × a

This means that a added to itself b times is the same as a multiplied by b.

The numbers that are multiplied together are called factors, and the answer is called a product.

Rule

Multiplication

factor ×factor = product

This might look a little odd—it might not be how you learned about multiplication before. So here’s an example to clarify.

Example 1

You want to add 3 to itself 5 times

This can be written as

3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 5 times

but if you use the definition above, it can also be written as

5 × 3 = 15

Multiplication problems with whole numbers (integers) between 1 and 10 are organized in the times tables. You should learn this table by heart.

Rule

Three Important Rules for Multiplication

1.
a × b = b × a. It does not matter what order the numbers are written in when you multiply—you get the same answer either way!
2.
Anything multiplied by 0 is 0. For example, 5 × 0 × 20 = 0.
3.
If you multiply something by 1, it doesn’t change. For example, 32 × 1 = 32.

Want to know more?Sign UpIt's free!