Free 15×15 & 30×30 Multiplication Chart (& Other Tips)

In fourth grade, I was introduced to something that would become my very favorite part of math for the next several years — timed tests.  Yes, I was the “weird” student who loved them.  Memorizing math facts came easily.  Minus the timed tests, my oldest kiddo was the same way.  She quickly memorized math facts through the course of her regular math work.  

And then came the next kiddo.  The one who has thrown me for a loop educationally the entire time we’ve homeschooled.  

Despite all my efforts, he just could not memorize his facts.  He could quickly calculate accurate answers — that wasn’t the problem.  But memorizing them? 

I was so frustrated.  I love to teach math.  We were using a great curriculum.  We watched Times Tales and tried all the “hacks.”  My frustration began to make math time miserable.  If he could solve the answers, why was I so insistent that he have them memorized?  A holdover from public school, I guess.  

So I gave him a tool — an addition table.  Then a multiplication table.  Then one for squares, cubes, etc.  But notice what word I used — tool.  That wording — instead of ‘cheat sheets’ — was more for my benefit than his.  He saw them as a help already.  But it was me who needed to be reminded that it was just a tool.  

Keep scrolling to find your free multiplication charts.

You’ll find 3 different charts to download.

1) 15×15 multiplication table for the younger kiddos.  (completed & blank)
2) 30×30 chart that will take your kiddo through middle school.  (completed & blank)
3) A blank multiplication chart for both 15×15 and 30×30.  Having your kiddo fill it in is another way they can practice their times tables.  

Like magic…

That was in 4th grade.  And you know what happened as he used them?  

Since he could check the chart for that part of the answer, he could focus on solving complex word problems.  (And if you know Beast Academy math, you know how tough those questions can be!)

As he referenced the chart & could visually see the answer, he began to memorize those multiplication facts after all.  

The more we explored his multiplication chart, the more he began to spot patterns and better understand how answers built upon each other. 

And — most importantly — math stopped being a battleground.  I relaxed as I saw him use the tables as a tool for figuring out harder problems.  He came to math time relaxed because he knew I wasn’t going to get frustrated with him.  As a result, we both began to enjoy it again.  We had fun with math, tackled hard problems as a team, and stopped viewing it as something we just had to get through to get it over. 

Multiplication Tricks

As my kiddo would work his way to an answer, I realized how complex his understanding of numbers had to be in order to get to answer in the way he would.  That sent me on a search to find other ways we could manipulate numbers to find answers.   Some of these we discovered by looking at the multiplication table, others came via good ‘ol Google. 

Multiplying 4s

​Double the number and then double it again. 

E.g., 4×8=32 
Double the 8 — 8×2=16
And then double the answer 16×2=32

Multiplying 5s

Add a 0 to the end of the number and then divide that number in half.  

E.g., 5×9 
Add a 0 to the end of 9 (that is, you’re multiplying by 10) = 90
90/2=45

​Multiplying 9s

Multiply by 5 and then add the number once more.    

E.g., 6×9= 5×9+9
45+9=54

​Multiplying 9s

This one is similar to multiplying by 6s. Multiply by 10 (add a 0 to the end of your number) and then remove that number once.  

E.g., 6×9= 6+0 (or 6×10) – 6
6×9=60-6
54=54

Multiplying 11s

If you’re multiplying by numbers 1-9, just repeat that number.  
3×11=33
9×11=99

Multiplying 9s — on your hand

This one is best demonstrated by pictures (keep scrolling!)
Think of your fingers number 1-10.  If you want to multiply 4×9, put down the 4th finger on one hand.  How many fingers do you have to the left of the bent finger?  To the right?  You should have 3 & 6 — 36.  What’s 4×9?  36! 

FREE MULTIPLICATION CHARTS

Remember — tools aren’t cheats!