Times tables - maths

Timestables - strategies and resources

Below are some strategies and games to practice to learning times tables. It is expected that by the end of year 5 students will know all their times tables, up to the 10's at least.

STRATEGIES

2's - doubling. E.g. 2 x 3 is the same as double 3 or 3+3

3's - the ones column has a recurring patterns 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45, etc.

4's - double double. Think of the 2 timestable (doubling) then double again. E.g. 4 x 3 think 2 x 3 = 6 double = 12

5's - the ones column always ends in 0 or 5. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, etc

6's - think of the 3 timestable then double. E.g. 6 x 4 think 3 x 4 = 12 double = 24

7's - this is probably the trickiest of all the timestables. Work out what 6 x the number is and then add on. E.g. 6 x 3 = 18 + 3 more = 21 OR 6 x 5 = 30 + 5 = 35

8's - double, double, double. Think of the 2 timestables then double and double again. E.g. 8 x 4 think 8 x 2 = 16 double 32 double again = 64

9's - there are several different tricks with the 9's. There is a knuckle or hand trick you can use if you come and ask me I'll be able to show you OR you can think of the 10's and then subtract. E.g. 9 x 8 think 10 x 8 = 80 subtract 8 = 72

10's - add a zero to the end of the number you are multiplying by. E.g. 4 x 10 = 40

NON ICT GAMES / PRACTICE:

1. Using a deck of cards with any picture card representing 10 split the pile evenly between the players. Two players flip their cards over at the same time and the first to call out what the two cards are multiplied gets to keep both cards. The person with the most cards wins.

2. Arrays game. You will need grid paper, two dice and two different coloured pencils / markers. The first person rolls both dice and draw an array on the grid paper (an array is an even rectangle. If you roll a 2 and a 7 you would colour in 2 rows of 7 or 7 rows of 2). The next person then has their turn. You continue on until you aren't able to make anymore arrays. The person who has the most squares coloured in wins.

3. Make some flash cards of the times tables you don't know. A flash card is a card with the equation on one side and the answer on the other. You can use these to test each other or to play memory with.

ICT BASED GAMES:

Mathletics have the Live section which is level 3 up should have times tables activities.

Find online times tables tests at http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/timestable/index.html

You can choose a times table to practice counting with and then test yourself on http://www.learnyourtables.co.uk/

This is a fantastic activity where students can work at their own pace to practice their times table counting. They can select more than one times table at a time making connection between different patterns. We have played this one a lot in class. http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/numbers/wholenumbers/multiplication/timestables/flash3.shtml

Another great fill in the gap timetable practice activity that students can work at their own pace and select the tables they need to practice. http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/tabletrees.html

http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/ Have mixed multiplication games for those who know most of their times tables or have challenged most of the other games above.

The ability to link multiplication and division is a fantastic strategy that all year 5 students should be able to do in year 5. Here is a game that allows them to practice that http://www.channel4learning.com/sites/puzzlemaths/md_machine_game.shtml

For someone who is quite good at their times tables a more challenging game would be http://resources.oswego.org/games/SpeedGrid/Multiplication/urikamultires.html where students can raise the stakes by answering more questions in less time. By the same people is the following game which is more of a drag and drop by also challenges a student to link their times tables and division skills http://resources.oswego.org/games/SumSense/summulti.html