teaching math (times tables)

[sleepies]

hello.

as you probally know i send my child to public school

but, i also teach him at home to re-enforce what he is learning there--at school.

any good tips on teaching the times tables?

you know like 9x5=45

etc.

any tips would be nice.

im not much of a teacher, but i want to work with him.

[Linda in Arizona]

there is a trick to the 9s.

1. Take the number, and put a 0 on the end (which gives you the same number as multiplying by 10)
2. Subtract the number you started with.

Example, 3 x 9

1. put a 0 on the end of 3 and you get 30.
2. Subtract 3 from 30 and you get 27.

another example 8x9

1. put a 0 on the end of 8 and you get 80
2. Subtract 8 from 80 and you get 72.

Also, you can check your answer by seeing what the 2 digits of the answer are -- they will always be 9. In the 2 examples above, 2+7 is 9, and 7+2 is 9. The nines are really cool.

Another idea is to make a grid with the numbers 0-10 across both the top and the side, and then have the child fill in the grid. It helps them see the patterns. If you child is just having problems with the bigger numbers, you could make a smaller grid just using 6-9. It would make it seem like they have less to learn.

Another idea is to make a hundreds chart. You could do this with a table in a word processing program. The first row has the numbers 1-10, and the next line has 11-20, and so on to 100. The columns are aligned so that the ones match up in each row -- for example 12 is directly under 2, and 22 is under 12 and so on. (I'm not if this makes sense). Anyway, once you have it done, you child can use poker chips (or checkers or coins or whatever) to cover the muliples of the number he is working on. For example, if he is working on 6's, he would cover 6,12, 18, 24, 30, etc.

Another idea for the 8's (but this one is rather odd). The 8's were really hard for me as a child, but I could remember the 4's. To multiple by 8, just muliple by 4 and then double it. For example, if you need to know 8x6 but don't have a clue, just do 4 x 6, which is 24, then double it, which gives you 48.

have fun!
Linda

[Mallory]

I was going to suggest a grid too. You can even mix up the numbers and time to beat your best scores. the nine trick we use isput all your fingers out in front put down the one you are multiplying by and "read" the rest. Put down your fourth finger you have three on one side six on the other the answer is 36!!! Lindas examples really use math though.
What I really wanted to add is I had a hard time with the 8's too!!

[Becca]

This is very old fashioned, but it really worked for me. We sang the times tables, every morning at school. We also used a grid, charts etc, but the song really helped reinforce what we learnt.
Blessings, Becca

[Linda in Arizona]

Originally posted by Mallory
the nine trick we use isput all your fingers out in front put down the one you are multiplying by and "read" the rest. Put down your fourth finger you have three on one side six on the other the answer is 36!!!

Oh my gosh -- this is so cool! I can't believe I've never heard of this trick before!

[lilyka]

Leap Frog makes some great products for reinforcing that sort of thing (they also have a good spelling one, I remeber you asking about spelling before) anyway, you can do the problems on the game or you can download there stuff or stuff from your childs textbook (applies more to the spelling one) . Anyway, their stuff is cool and we like what we have bought. You might want to check thier web sight.

[sleepies]

Thanks

I will let you know how it works out!

I am so bad with math. maybe I can learn also! HEHEHE

[papabliss]

Hi,

The 9s should be the second easiest to learn since the only new numbers to multiply are 9x9 and 9x10. All the rest have been covered with the other numbers.

I think practice might be better served working on the ordering of the operation. What I mean is that it important to learn that 7x9 and 9x7 are the same thing so if he/she knows one, then they know the other.

The only easier number to learn is the 10s because then there is only 10x10 to learn.

Hope this helps.