Nodehill Maths: How to help with Table Facts.

03/12/2007

How to help with Table Facts.

Children often seem to struggle with learning their tables, but unfortunately times tables are to maths as spelling is to English. Their work will not improve unless this element is secure.

Children often complain that there are just too many numbers to remember, but if you look at a multiplication grid up to 10 x 10 half the numbers are actually repeated, for 3 x 4 = 12 is the same as 4 x 3 = 12, similarly 6 x 7 is the same as 7 x 6 i.e. 42 etc. This means that they only need to learn about half the facts on the grid, excluding the square numbers.

Children should already know their 1x, 2x, 5x, and 10x tables, and if this is the case they only have 21 table facts to learn. If they already know their 3x and 4x tables and can do the 9x table on their fingers, then the number of table facts which they need to learn are lessened, down to six!

I have therefore prepared a set of table triangles, which can be downloaded, cut out and stuck on card, for the children to practise these 21 facts. You should cover up the answer to the table sum (in bold) and show the children the remaining numbers, which they multiply together. If they get the answer right they keep the card, but if they get it wrong, keep the triangle to practise that fact later.

If they can do all these then you can always cover up one of the other numbers, leaving the bold answer and a number, and the children can then use these to practice their division facts.

Download microsoft_word_table_facts_to_learn.pdf

Posted at 04:50 PM in Times Table Facts | Permalink