From Strategies to Mastery: Multiplication Facts That Stick

Why Use Strategies to Learn Multiplication

While many of us remember learning multiplication facts through repetition, flash cards and timed tests, this approach doesn’t work for all students.  The process of memorizing facts is just that…a memorization task.  Similar tasks could be memorizing states and capitals, memorizing spelling words etc. This is a specific skill that some students excel at, but not all students.  As a math interventionist, I often work with students that are struggling to memorize their facts and feel frustrated and defeated. These are the students that can really benefit from learning their multiplication facts through specific strategies that grow their number sense and understanding of how numbers work. What’s important to remember is that while some of these strategies might seem confusing to us as adults who have already learned our facts, for students who struggle to memorize, these strategies have been extremely helpful.

In class I always focus on teaching one fact (one strategy) at a time and build on those.  

Foundational Facts

The first three that I teach are called foundational facts. They are the foundation on which the other strategies will be based.

• ✌️ 2’s – Think Addition Doubles- These are taught first because students in third grade are familiar with their addition doubles from first grade and it is a comfortable place to start.

• 🔟 10’s – Use Skip Counting by Tens- I teach tens next because again, students learned counting by tens in first grade so these should also be comfortable and help build confidence.

• 🖐 5’s – Rely on Rhythmic Counting- The fives are the last of the foundational facts.  Students learn to skip count by 5’s in first and second grade, so another confidence booster.  

🧠 What Are Derived Facts?

Derived facts are multiplication facts that can be solved using number relationships and strategies—not just rote memory. Once students have mastered 2s, 5s, and 10s, they can use what they know to figure out what they don’t know—confidently and flexibly.

• 3’s – Doubles + One More Group

  Students use their understanding of 2s (doubles) to derive their 3s.

  Example: 3 × 4
  Think: "I know 2 × 4 = 8. Add one more group of 4 → 8 + 4 = 12"

I use counters or drawings to make the process visual. This helps them internalize how one group builds on another.

• 4’s – Double, Then Double Again

Four is two doubled (2 × 2), so we use the “double-double” strategy.

Example: 4 × 5
First double 5 → 10
Then double 10 → 20

This pattern helps students visualize 4 as a concept, not an isolated fact to memorize.

• 6’s – Distributive Property with 5’s + 1’s

Once students know their 5s well, we break 6 into 5 + 1.

Example: 6 × 4

Think: "5 × 4 = 20, and one more group of 4 = 24"
So, 6 × 4 = 24

We model this by drawing an array to represent 6x4, then break it up visually.

7’s – Distribute with 5’s + 2’s

Sevens can feel tricky, but with a little strategy they become manageable. We break 7 into 5 + 2.

• Example: 7 × 6
  Start with: 5 × 6 = 30
  Then: 2 × 6 = 12
  Add them: 30 + 12 = 42
  
  

Let students build these groups with manipulatives or bar models. They'll soon see that seven isn't scary after all.

8’s – Double, Double, Double

This is one of the most fun strategies: triple doubling!

• Example: 8 × 3
  Double 3 → 6
  Double 6 → 12
  Double 12 → 24
  
  

Once they get the hang of it, kids love how powerful this feels. They’re using patterns to do big math in their heads.

Another option:

• Break 8 into 5 + 3
  5 × 3 = 15
  3 × 3 = 9
  Add them: 15 + 9 = 24
  
  

Give students the choice to use whichever makes more sense to them.

9’s – Use 10s and Subtract One Group

Nines are full of patterns! One of the strongest strategies is to think of 9 as 10 – 1 Group.

• Example: 9 × 7
  Think: "10 × 7 = 70, subtract one group of 7 = 70 – 7 = 63"
  
  

Another popular trick is the finger method—especially for visual learners.

• Put down the finger for the number you’re multiplying by.
  
  

• The number of fingers to the left is the tens digit; to the right is the ones.
  
  

• For 9 × 6: Put down the 6th finger → 5 fingers on the left, 4 on the right → 54
  
  

And for pattern lovers:

• Every answer to a 9 fact adds up to 9!
  9 × 2 = 18 → 1 + 8 = 9
  9 × 4 = 36 → 3 + 6 = 9
  
  

Let students explore different patterns and choose what clicks for them.

When students understand why a fact is true, they can recreate it anytime—even if they forget. They become mathematically fluent, not just fact memorizers.