2, 5 and 10 times tables: what children learn
These tables are chosen first because they connect to things children already know: counting in 2s, 5s and 10s, pairs of socks, fingers on a hand, and coins. The game mixes multiplication questions (6 × 5 = ?) with division questions (35 ÷ 5 = ?) because knowing a fact means being able to use it both ways.
Practices multiplication and division facts connected to Common Core 3.OA.C.7. Factors extend through 12, so some questions go beyond the one-digit facts and within-100 fluency target; use those as extra challenge. This is not full coverage of the standard.
Common Core connection: 3.OA.C.7. This is focused practice for part of the standard.
How to play
How many can you answer in 60 seconds? Type the answer and press Enter. Questions keep coming for 60 seconds. Type each answer and press Enter, or choose Skip. Answers can be typed with or without commas.
Step by step
- Multiplication is repeated addition. 4 × 5 means four groups of 5: 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 20. Drawing groups or using cubes makes this visible.
- Use arrays to show the order does not matter. An array of 2 rows of 5 dots is the same number of dots as 5 rows of 2. So 2 × 5 = 5 × 2. This is called being commutative.
- Spot the patterns. The 2 times table gives even numbers. The 5 times table always ends in 5 or 0. The 10 times table always ends in 0, and 10 × 7 is 7 tens, which is 70.
- Turn each fact round for division. If 6 × 5 = 30, then 30 ÷ 5 = 6 and 30 ÷ 6 = 5. Division is the inverse of multiplication, but unlike multiplication the order matters: 30 ÷ 5 is not the same as 5 ÷ 30.
Worked examples
Example 1: 7 × 5 = ?
Working: Count in 5s seven times: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35. Or halve 7 × 10 = 70.
Answer: 35
Example 2: 18 ÷ 2 = ?
Working: How many 2s make 18? Halving 18 gives 9.
Answer: 9
Example 3: 60 ÷ 10 = ?
Working: 60 is 6 tens, so there are 6 groups of 10.
Answer: 6
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Counting up from the start every time. Counting in steps is how children begin, but the goal is recall. Practice a few facts at a time until they are instant.
- Thinking division works in any order. Share 10 candies between 2 people, then try to share 2 candies between 10 people. The answers are different.
- Muddling the 5 and 10 times tables. Show that 5 × 6 is half of 10 × 6. If you know 10 × 6 = 60, half of it is 30.
Activities to try at home
- Count nickels and dimes: how much are six nickels?
- Count socks in pairs, fingers in fives and toes in tens.
- Chant the tables while skipping or clapping, then stop and ask a random fact.
Ideas for the classroom
- Use arrays of counters and ask students to write both multiplication facts and both division facts for each array.
- Sort numbers into the 2, 5 and 10 times tables using a Venn diagram. Which numbers are in all three? (10, 20, 30…)
- Odd and even investigation: is the total of two odd numbers odd or even?
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a color-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
How should I choose this game for my learner?
Practices multiplication and division facts connected to Common Core 3.OA.C.7. Factors extend through 12, so some questions go beyond the one-digit facts and within-100 fluency target; use those as extra challenge. This is not full coverage of the standard.
Do the questions go up to 12?
Yes. The game uses facts up to 12 × 2, 12 × 5 and 12 × 10, as most schools in England teach the tables up to 12.
How do odd and even numbers fit in?
Every number in the 2 times table is even. A number is odd if it is not in the 2 times table, so it ends in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9.
How should I choose this game for my learner?
Practices multiplication and division facts connected to Common Core 3.OA.C.7. Factors extend through 12, so some questions go beyond the one-digit facts and within-100 fluency target; use those as extra challenge. This is not full coverage of the standard.