🎯 Multiplication Tricks & Shortcuts

Learn these clever patterns and your brain will do multiplication faster than a calculator — with no memorisation needed.

🖐️

The 9s Finger Trick

Works for 9 × 1 through 9 × 10

Hold both hands out flat, fingers spread.
To calculate 9 × N, bend down the Nth finger from the left.
Count fingers to the left of the bent finger → that's the tens digit.
Count fingers to the right of the bent finger → that's the ones digit.

9 × 3

Bend 3rd finger

2 left, 7 right → 27

9 × 7

Bend 7th finger

6 left, 3 right → 63

9 × 9

Bend 9th finger

8 left, 1 right → 81

Bonus check: The digits of every 9× answer always add to 9! (2+7=9, 6+3=9, 8+1=9)

2️⃣

The Doubling Strategy (2×, 4×, 8×)

Build on easy doubles to multiply by 4 and 8

✖️ 2 = Double Once

7 × 2 = just double 7 = 14

✖️ 4 = Double Twice

7 × 4 → double to 14 → double to 28

✖️ 8 = Double Three Times

7 × 8 → 14 → 28 → 56

Try it: 6 × 8 → 6×2=12 → 12×2=24 → 24×2=48 ✓

1️⃣

The 11s Repeat Trick

For 11 × 1 through 11 × 9

Multiplying a single digit by 11? Just write the digit twice!

11 × 3

= 33

11 × 4

= 44

11 × 5

= 55

11 × 6

= 66

11 × 7

= 77

For two-digit numbers (11 × 11 and above), the trick extends: add the two digits and place the sum in the middle. E.g. 11 × 13 → 1 | (1+3) | 3 = 143.

5️⃣

The 5s Pattern

A different shortcut for even vs odd multipliers

Even × 5 → Halve, add zero

8 × 5: half of 8 = 4, add zero → 40

12 × 5: half of 12 = 6, add zero → 60

Odd × 5 → Round up, halve, add 5

7 × 5: next even=8, half=4, put 5 → 35

9 × 5: next even=10, half=5, put 5 → 45

Now Practice!

Use these tricks on real problems. Try to answer before you write anything down.

Operation

Problem Type

Difficulty

Number of questions

Worksheet title (optional)

Example: 3 × 4

Times Tables Hub 2× Table 9× Table 11× Table Multiplication Worksheets

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Grade 4-5 equivalent

Two-digit multiplication

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