Blank and filled multiplication charts to print

How do you read a multiplication chart?

Find one number along the top row and the other down the left column. Follow the column down and the row across, and the square where they meet holds the answer. For 7 times 8, go to 7 down the side, along to the 8 column, and you land on 56.

The chart also shows patterns that make the tables easier to learn. Every answer appears twice, mirrored across the diagonal, because 3 times 4 and 4 times 3 are the same. The diagonal itself holds the square numbers: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25 and so on. Turn on the square number highlight and those squares are shaded and ringed, so children can see the line of squares cutting across the grid.

Should I print a blank or a filled multiplication chart?

Use both, at different stages. A filled chart is a reference: stick it inside a homework folder or on the wall, and let children look things up while they learn. A blank chart is practice: children fill in each square, which makes them work out every fact and notice the patterns as they go. A half filled chart is a check: about half the answers are missing, so children fill the gaps and you can see at a glance which facts are solid.

The half filled chart picks its blank squares the same way every time for the same settings, so a whole class can work on an identical sheet. Change the child's name or the times table setting and a different set of squares goes blank.

• Filled chart: a reference for learning and checking answers.
• Blank chart: full practice, good as a weekly warm up.
• Half filled chart: a quick check of which facts are secure.

What is the easiest way to fill in a blank multiplication chart?

Do not fill it row by row from the top. Start with the tables children already know, so most of the grid fills quickly, and the few hard facts are left on their own at the end.

Filling a blank chart from memory every week or two, and timing it, is a simple way to see progress over a term.

1. Fill the 1 row and column: each answer is the other number.
2. Fill the 10 row and column by adding a zero.
3. Fill the 2 and 5 rows by counting in twos and fives.
4. Copy each answer across the diagonal, since 3 times 7 is the same as 7 times 3.
5. Fill the 9 row with the finger trick or by taking one lot away from the 10 row.
6. Work out the few facts left, which are usually 6, 7 and 8 times each other.

Should children learn the tables up to 12 or up to 15?

Curricula differ. Some, such as the national curriculum in England, expect tables up to 12 times 12, while others, such as the Common Core standards in the United States, focus on facts within 100, which is the 10 by 10 grid. The 1 to 12 chart is the default here because it covers both. The 1 to 10 chart suits younger children who are still learning the first tables. The 1 to 15 chart is useful for older students, for mental maths enthusiasts, and for children who already know their tables to 12 and want a challenge. Check what your own school expects.

What is on the practice page?

Choose Add 36 practice facts and you get a page of 36 multiplication facts in three columns, followed by an answer key page. The facts are drawn from the chart size you picked. If you highlight one times table, every fact uses that table, which makes a focused practice page for the table a child is learning this week.

Like the half filled chart, the practice page is repeatable: the same settings give the same facts, so you can copy the link and print the same sheet for a whole group.

How do I print the multiplication chart?

Pick A4 or US Letter under Paper and press Print or save as PDF. The chart is drawn as a square that fits both sizes, so keep the scale at 100 percent or Actual size. In Ink saver mode the coloured header and highlights become grey shades, and the square numbers keep their rings, so the chart still reads clearly on a black and white printer. For a chart that lasts, print on card or slide it into a plastic pocket and use a dry wipe pen.