I have always believed in learning the smart way instead of the hard way.

When we were young, my sister and I have our own way of learning Multiplication 9, or more commonly known as 9 times tables, the easy way. My method works for me and her method works for her. So today we tried both methods on my son, Keatkeat.

The trick that works for my sister ~ the Finger Method

The concept is to use your fingers as a guide. This can ONLY be applied to 9 times tables.

Example 3 x 9 = 27

  1. Tell your child to place his ten fingers down as shown in the photo below.
  2. Since it is ‘3’ x 9, tell your child to ‘hide’ the 3rd finger from the left. The hidden finger acts like a divider between the tenths and the ones.
  3. On the left side of the hidden finger is the tenths. Since only 2 fingers are up on the left side of the divider, it represents ’20’.
  4. On the right side of the hidden finger is the ones. Since 7 fingers are up on the right side of the divider, it represents ‘7’.
  5. So the answer is ’20’, ‘7’ = 27

Just by looking at the fingers which are UP will help your child to determine the answer straight away.

From 9 times tables

The Slide Show below shows the 9 times table from 1 x 9 to 10 x 9.

I tried my method on my 7 year old Keatkeat, he can perform in written form but finds it harder to absorb.

Yet, the moment my sister shared her method with him and my 6 year old Binbin, BOTH understood immediately and could recite the full 9 times tables without a problem.

So I will not be sharing my method. If my sister’s method has proven to be easier for children to comprehend, I do not see the need to share mine. So ‘Thank You Sis’.

Is this how your child learn his or her 9 times tables too?