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Math Tricks

This document provides tricks and strategies for multiplying single-digit numbers. It suggests remembering that multiplication is commutative (e.g. 8x2 = 2x8), cutting numbers in half or doubling as shortcuts, and using patterns in the ones digits or products of 10 to solve problems. Hands can also represent multiplication facts. Larger problems can be broken into component parts, such as 12x4 = (10x4) + (2x4).

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Anna Beatrix Santos
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
154 views

Math Tricks

This document provides tricks and strategies for multiplying single-digit numbers. It suggests remembering that multiplication is commutative (e.g. 8x2 = 2x8), cutting numbers in half or doubling as shortcuts, and using patterns in the ones digits or products of 10 to solve problems. Hands can also represent multiplication facts. Larger problems can be broken into component parts, such as 12x4 = (10x4) + (2x4).

Uploaded by

Anna Beatrix Santos
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Best Trick

Every multiplication has a twin, which may be easier to


remember.
For example if you forget 8×2, you might remember 2×8=16.
This way, you only have to remember half the table.

Tricks by Number

2
add the number to itself (in other words, double it)
Example 2×9 = 9+9 = 18

4
double, then double again
Example 4×9: double 9 is 18, double 18 is 36

5
Cut in half, then times 10
Example: 5x6: Cut 6 in half to get 3, then times 10 for 30
Or times 10 then cut in half
Example: 5x9: 9 times 10 is 90, then cut in half for 45
Also the last digit goes 5, 0, 5, 0, ... like this: 5, 10, 15, 20, ...

6
when you multiply 6 by an even number, they both end in the same digit.
Examples: 6×2=12, 6×4=24, 6×6=36, etc
7×8
Think "5,6,7,8": 56=7×8

8
Double, double, double!
Example: 8×6: double 6 is 12, double 12 is 24, double 24 is 48

9
is 10× the number minus the number.
Example: 9×6 = 10×6−6 = 60−6 = 54
the ones digit goes 9, 8, 7, 6, ...: 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, ...
the tens digit goes 0, 1, 2, 3, ...: 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, ...
subtract one to get the tens digit, and the tens and ones digit together make
9
Example: 9×5: tens digit is 4, 4 and 5 make 9, so 45
Example: 9×8: tens digit is 7, 7 and 2 make 9, so 72

your hands can help!


Example: to multiply 9 by 8,
hold your 8th finger down,
and count "7" and "2", the
answer is 72

10
put a zero after it
Example: 10×2 = 20

11
up to 11x9: just repeat the digit. Example: 11x4 = 44
for 11×10 to 11×18: write the sum of the digits between the digits
Example: 11×15 = 1(1+5)5 = 165

Note: this works for any two-digit number, but when the sum of the digits is
more than 9, we need to"carry the one". Example: 11×75 = 7(7+5)5 =
7(12)5 = 825.
12
is 10× plus 2×
Example: 12×4 = 40+8 = 48

15
multiply by 10, then add half again
Example: 15×4 = 40+20 = 60
Example: 15×9 = 90+45 = 135

20
multiply by 10, then double
Example: 20×4 = 40+40 = 80
Example: 20×7 = 70+70 = 140

Remembering Squares Can Help


This may not work for you, but it worked for me. I like remembering the
squares (where you multiply a number by itself):
1×1=1 2×2=4 3×3=9 4×4=16 5×5=25 6×6=36

7×7=4 8×8=6 9×9=8 10×10=10 11×11=12


12×12=144
9 4 1 0 1
And this gives us one more trick. When the numbers we are multiplying are
separated by 2 (example 7 and 5), then multiply the number in the middle
by itself and subtract one. See this:
5×5 = 25 is just one bigger than 6×4 = 24

6×6 = 36 is just one bigger than 7×5 = 35

7×7 = 49 is just one bigger than 8×6 = 48

8×8 = 64 is just one bigger than 9×7 = 63

etc ...

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