Multiplication is a repeated addition, for example, we can say that multiplying 3 x 2 is the same as adding 2 times 3, that is: 2+ 2+2 = 6. But we cannot live doing this because we would spend hours solving a slightly more complex multiplication, that is to say with numbers of two or three digits. Imagine adding 130 times 25, it would be absurd.
The multiplication tables require the application of repetitive memory and when this is done from a young age it becomes incorporated into us so that solving a complex multiplication is no longer difficult and annoying.
Logically, the use of calculators is a solution for long operations, with decimals, and it is a great invention and task facilitator, but when we see that a student in math class uses his calculator to multiply 5×4 because he cannot or wants to do only then we reconsider to what extent the use of it is good.
Just as it is very good to instill reading from children because it will bring many benefits in adolescence and adulthood, for example good spelling or handling a larger vocabulary, learning the multiplication tables from a young age will allow them to become independent from the machine, do mental calculations useful for daily life and feel more secure if you have to solve more complex operations that are based on this mathematical tool that is the multiplication table.
What do you need to remember the multiplication tables?
- Paper, pencil
- A friend to help you
- Computer and Internet connection
- Computer games
Instructions to remember the multiplication tables
- One of the properties of multiplication is that it is commutative, this means that it is the same to multiply 4 x 5as 5 x 4 = 20, this means that if you do not remember what 3 x 9 is, you can turn the multiplication around and remember it. This trick works many times at once allowing you to make sure your answer is correct.
- Another rule or property of multiplication that generates doubts in many people is that “every number multiplied by zero gives the result zero”
- For example: 5 x 0= 0 ; 0 x 0 = 0; 543 x 0 = 0. Also remember from the previous rule that “zero multiplied by any number equals zero”, for example 0 x 6 = 0
- Another basic rule that is also part of the multiplication tables is multiplication by 1: Any number that is not zero multiplied by 1 gives the same number”, for example: 7 x 1 = 7, 365 x 1 = 365 and if it commute is also valid: “1 multiplied by any number that is not zero gives the same number, for example: 1 x 15 = 15
- Another simple rule is to remember that if a number is multiplied by 10 you only have to add a zero to the right of the number and you already have the result ready, for example: 7 x 10 = 70
- Summarizing up to here: multiplying by zero gives zero, multiplying by one gives the same number (except the zero) and to multiply by 10 just add a zero after the number.
- Write the multiplication tables: the one with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 which are the basic ones on a very neat paper, with bright colors and try to memorize. For many, photographic memory helps a lot, so if you see it this way it will help you remember the image, for example:
- Highlight the parts that cost you the most, stick them in your room, on the walls, on the desk to see them and repeat them to memorize them.
- Practice series counting by twos, by 3s, etc. These series are nothing more than the results of the multiplication tables.
- You can make a double entry table to have all the multiplication tables together although this is more useful to use them at the moment and not so much to study them because visually it is less clear. This table works by looking for the result of the multiplication between two numbers at the intersection of the row and column corresponding to the numbers we want to multiply, for example:
- 2 x 8 = 16 or 8 x 2 = 16 (you will see the results highlighted in yellow).
- Children have many games on their computers to practice tables.
- There you can play and compete while practicing the tables with various games for children.
- Consider daily problems permanently that lead you to use the tables, for example, if you are at home and you are looking at the table and chairs where you eat with your family every day, calculate how many chair legs are there? If there are 6 chairs and they have 4 legs each then there will be 24 legs because 6 X 4 = 24. But if you count the table that also has 4 legs you could say that there are 28 legs in total because 4 x 7 = 28
- Practice thinking about the days of the week: a week has 7 days, two weeks will have 14 days,…. 7 weeks 49 days. Thus you will associate the week with the table of 7.
- The table of 9has two peculiarities, one of them is that the sum of the two digits of the result always gives 9. This will help you to remove the doubt if you are not very sure. And the second is that you can build the result of the table of nine with the numbers ordered from 0 to 9 downwards (as the first digit of the result) and with the numbers ordered from 9 to 0 as the second digit of the result. Observe:
Tips to remember the multiplication tables
- Remember that in all phones and computers we have calculators that will be very useful to solve difficult operations, you have scientific calculators that are essential for certain problems but the multiplication tables must be in your memory, they do not require little machines.
- With the company of a friend you can compete by asking yourself some multiplications, this practice helps a lot to remember.
- In our math category find a lot of useful information that will help you in your math problems.