Time for Times Tables

This is a post for Grade 2 students.

I am sure that you must have learnt addition & subtraction by now. Now, it is time for times tables. My aim is to make times tables (multiplication) ‘simple & visual’ for you.

 What is multiplication?

Me : Does the sign of multiplication (×) look similar to the sign of addition (+) to you ?

Student : Hmm….yeah. It looks kinda turned a bit.

Me : Yes, multiplication is also addition, just with a little twist 😉

Student : Twist?

Me : If you calculate 2 + 3 + 4 + 5, it is called addition. But, if you calculate 2 + 2 + 2 +2, it is called multiplication.

Student: You mean that a few ‘special additions’ are called multiplication!

Me : Yes, you got it right. When we add the same number again and again, we call it multiplication.

Student : That means “Multiplication is nothing but repeated addition.”

Me : Bang on!

Why do we need times tables?

Me:  When in doubt, ask a few questions 🙂

If I give you 2 candies every day (this is just an assumption ;), how many candies will you get in 5 days?

Student: 2 + 2+ 2+ 2 +2 = 10 candies

Me : You know that I don’t like giving candies to my students. So, if I give you 2 apples every day, how many apples will you get in 5 days?

Student: 2 + 2+ 2+ 2+ 2 = 10 apples

Me : The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics. Now, if I give you 2 worksheets everyday, how many worksheets will you get in 5 days?

Student: 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 10 worksheets

Me : Did you observe something?

Student : Yes, I am getting answer 10 every time.

Me : In each example, you are adding 2 five times (2+2+2+2+2) . If you don’t want to calculate it again and again, won’t it be useful to remember the value of ‘5 times 2’ ?

Student: Yes, it will be very useful. Then, I won’t have to add again and again. I can save some time and that will give me more play time 😉

Me: Perfect! That’s what I call smart approach. Let’s calculate a few ‘repeated additions’.

1 times 2 = 2

2 times 2 = 2 + 2 = 4

3 times 2 = 2 + 2 + 2 = 6

4 times 2 = 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 8

……….. you can continue in the same manner.

We store all these ‘times’ additions in a table form. Hence the name ‘times table’.

Let’s draw our own times tables!

I am a huge fan of Visual Maths. I would strongly recommend all the young learners to draw their times tables atleast once. Sharing a sample of such work:

Dear parents, once the children ‘see’ what is going on behind the scenes, it is no more a chant which they need to recite in a specific rhythm and mug it blindly. They can just calculate their times tables rather than rote-learning.

Let’s master our times tables!

Practice makes it perfect.

Let’s practice our multiplication skill and master our times tables.

Times Tables Game 1 (no login/password needed for the game)

Times Tables Game 2 (no login/password needed for the game)

Rote learning might help children in reciting the times tables accurately, but they would have no idea what the numbers actually mean. I sincerely hope that this article will make times tables ‘simple & visual’ for our young learners.

Please let us know if it proves to be useful for your children/students.