The 1–12 Multiplication Chart: How to Read It and Use It

A multiplication chart (also called a times table grid or multiplication square) shows every answer from 1 × 1 to 12 × 12 on one page. It looks like a wall of numbers at first, but once children know how to read it, it becomes one of the best tools for spotting patterns and checking answers. Below is the full chart, followed by how to read it and the patterns worth pointing out.

The 1–12 multiplication chart

Want it bigger, with a quiz built in? The times tables hub has an interactive chart, and every table has its own page and free printable worksheet.

How to read a multiplication chart

1. Find the first number in the left-hand column. For 6 × 4, find 6.
2. Find the second number in the top row. Here, that is 4.
3. Slide along and down with two fingers, one along the row and one down the column, until they meet. The square where they meet is the answer: 24.

Each row is one whole times table. Row 3 reads 3, 6, 9, 12 and so on, all the way to 36. Reading a row out loud is the same as skip counting, which is a nice link for younger children who already count in 2s, 5s and 10s.

Patterns to discover together

The real power of the chart is in its patterns. Rather than telling your child, ask "What do you notice?" and give them time. Here is what to look out for.

Two halves that match (the turnaround rule)

Fold the chart along the diagonal from the top left to the bottom right, and the two halves match. That is because the order of multiplication does not matter: 3 × 8 and 8 × 3 are both 24. Mathematicians call this the commutative property. For your child, it means the 144 squares on the chart only hold 78 different facts to learn, because each pair appears twice except the ones on the diagonal.

The square numbers on the diagonal

The diagonal running from the top left to the bottom right holds the numbers you get by multiplying a number by itself: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100, 121 and 144. These are called square numbers, because that many dots can be arranged into a perfect square. They make great anchor facts. If your child knows 8 × 8 = 64, then 8 × 7 is just 64 − 8 = 56.

Rows that are doubles of other rows

Compare row 2 and row 4: every number in row 4 is double the one above it in row 2. The same is true for row 4 and row 8, row 3 and row 6, and row 6 and row 12. This is why doubling is such a useful trick. You can also add rows together: row 2 plus row 5 gives row 7. For example, 2 × 6 = 12 and 5 × 6 = 30, and 12 + 30 = 42, which is 7 × 6.

Odd and even

Colour all the odd answers on the chart and something surprising happens: they only appear where an odd row meets an odd column. An even number times anything gives an even answer. This is a handy self-check. If your child says 4 × 7 = 27, they can see straight away that it must be even.

The 5s, 9s and 10s

• Row 10 ends in 0 every time, and row 5 alternates between ending in 5 and ending in 0.
• In row 9, from 9 × 2 to 9 × 10, the tens digit goes up by one each step while the ones digit goes down by one: 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81, 90.
• Row 11 repeats the digit up to 99, then continues 110, 121, 132.

Using the chart for division

Division is multiplication backwards, so the same chart answers division questions. For 56 ÷ 7, go to row 7 and slide along until you find 56. Then look up to the top of that column: it says 8. So 56 ÷ 7 = 8. Practising this way shows children that every times table fact also gives them two division facts for free (56 ÷ 7 = 8 and 56 ÷ 8 = 7).

When should children use a chart, and when should they stop?

A chart is a learning tool, not a crutch, as long as it is used in the right way. In the early stages, it is great for exploring patterns and checking answers. Once your child is practising for speed, put the chart away during quick-fire practice and bring it out afterwards to check. Over time, they will look at it less and less because the facts are in their head.

Some children, including many who find memorising hard, benefit from keeping a chart nearby for longer while they work on bigger problems like long multiplication. That way, they can focus on the new method rather than getting stuck on one fact. Talk to your child's teacher about what they allow in class.

Five quick chart games

• Cover up. Cover one square with a coin and ask your child what is underneath.
• Hunt the 24s. How many squares say 24? There are six: 2 × 12, 3 × 8 and 4 × 6, plus their turnarounds. Ask which other numbers appear lots of times.
• Square spotting. Ask your child to find each square number and say its fact.
• Race the chart. You ask a fact. Your child answers from memory while you find it on the chart. Who is faster?
• Play a table. Pick a row and play it in the game on its table page, like the 6 times table.