Simple Way To Multiply

Only two times tables to learn x2 and x3

I will presume you know that 1 times any number is that nunber and ten times just has a 0 added on it.

TO MULTIPLY BY 5 - Hold out your hands and you will see 10 fingers (normaly).

• Going from the left label them 1 to 10.
• When these fingers are multiplied by 5 the last figure goes 5 0 5 0 5 0 the labeled fingers are numbered 5, 10 ,15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50.
• If you are asked 5x8, don/t start counting from 5, 10.... the first finger you count on the right hand is number 6, and 6 is 30 so count from there.

Quick eh!

TO MULTIPLY BY 9 - Hold out your hands, fingers labelled from left 1 to 10.

• 9x3 - bend or cover the 3rd finger, those to the left are 2 but in tens ie 20
• Those to the right are units ie 7 so you have 27.
• 9x7 - bend the 7th finger, 6 to the left, 3 to the right ie 63.
• Simple eh! Who would want to go through that complicated rigmarole of the times tables they teach at school.
• (I did not know about this when I taught Myself As a young boy, I multiplied by 10 and subtracted one of the number ie. 7x9 = (70-7) = 63

Now you can become proficient at multiplying by 5 and 9 by testing yourself by throwing a dice, (have a second dice with 123 marked as 789)

Now let me let you into a secret. The kids who are brilliant or good at multiplication do not use the times tables, they used them to learn the equations, memorised them, and answer from memory.

Now we will go to the two higher NUMBERS 7 AND 8.

• These are more difficult so we will forget them except that we will memorise 7x7 = 49, 7x8 = 56 (and 8x7), 8x8 = 64. WHAT! How can you forget 7 and 8 says the schoolteacher?
• We allready know what 1,5,9,and 10 times 7 and 8 is, we don't need to duplicate it, the others we will learn. Stick white paper onto a dice and mark them with the multiplications and test the student on those numbers.

This leaves us with 2,3,4, and 6

LEARN 2 AND 3 TIMES - best to do it like you did the 5 multiplication.

Then throw the dice, get a friend and make it into a competition, make it fun, Give him a cookie for 20 correct answers, or a minute on a skill game.

TO MULTIPLY BY 4 - multiply by 2 and double the answer ie 4x6 so 2x6 = 12
             +12
             =24

TO MULTIPLY BY 6 - Multiply by 3 and double the answer ie 6x7 so 3x7 = 21
             +21
             =42
Test with a dice again.             

You need to be able to add two digit numbers to do this, if you can't, learn how to, you need to be able to add before you multiply.

You need to be able to count before you add or subtract.

I do not know of any way to be able to divide before you can multiply so you need to get proficient at multiplying before you can divide.

Another way to multiply by the more difficult numbers is to break them down.

• Lets take 7 x 8 = 56
• Break down 7 to 2 and 5
• 2 x 8 = 16 and 5 x 8 = 40. And 16 + 40 = 56