The 3 times table
Also written as the multiplication table of 3. Here it is in full to 3 x 20, with the patterns worth pointing out, the fact children trip on, and free practice that does not need a sign-up.
3 x 1 to 3 x 12
| 3 × 1 | 3 |
|---|---|
| 3 × 2 | 6 |
| 3 × 3 | 9 |
| 3 × 4 | 12 |
| 3 × 5 | 15 |
| 3 × 6 | 18 |
| 3 × 7 | 21 |
| 3 × 8 | 24 |
| 3 × 9 | 27 |
| 3 × 10 | 30 |
| 3 × 11 | 33 |
| 3 × 12 | 36 |
3 x 13 to 3 x 20
| 3 × 13 | 39 |
|---|---|
| 3 × 14 | 42 |
| 3 × 15 | 45 |
| 3 × 16 | 48 |
| 3 × 17 | 51 |
| 3 × 18 | 54 |
| 3 × 19 | 57 |
| 3 × 20 | 60 |
Schools usually require up to twelve. The rest is here for children who want it, and it is where mental arithmetic starts to pay off.
Worth pointing out
Patterns in the 3 times table
- The digits of every answer add up to a multiple of three. 12 gives 1 plus 2 is 3, and 27 gives 2 plus 7 is 9.
- The answers alternate odd, even, odd, even all the way up: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18.
The easiest way to learn it
Double the number, then add the number once more. For 3 x 7, double 7 to get 14, then add 7 to reach 21.
The fact children get wrong
3 x 7 is 21 and 3 x 8 is 24. These two sit next to each other and get swapped constantly. The digit-sum check will not separate them, since 21 and 24 both pass it, so fall back on doubling: double 8 to get 16, add 8 once more, and you land on 24.
On the abacus
The three times table is where soroban students first meet a carry that crosses ten, which is why it is taught after the twos rather than alongside them.
Charts build familiarity. Recall comes from retrieval, a few minutes a day. Print the times tables sprint, or try the free virtual abacus where multiplication becomes bead positions rather than something to memorise.
Common questions
What is the 3 times table?
The 3 times table is 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, continuing to 3 x 20 which is 60. It is the same thing as the multiplication table of 3: each answer is 3 added to the one before it.
What is the easiest way to learn the 3 times table?
Double the number, then add the number once more. For 3 x 7, double 7 to get 14, then add 7 to reach 21.
Which fact in the 3 times table do children get wrong most often?
3 x 7 is 21 and 3 x 8 is 24. These two sit next to each other and get swapped constantly. The digit-sum check will not separate them, since 21 and 24 both pass it, so fall back on doubling: double 8 to get 16, add 8 once more, and you land on 24.
What is 3 x 12?
3 x 12 is 36. Twelve is the highest multiplier most primary schools require, though children who go further will need up to 3 x 20, which is 60.
Every times table
If the tables are a struggle
The problem is usually not the table
A child who is still counting to work out 3 x 3 has no attention left for 3 x 8. Fluency underneath is what makes the tables stick, and it is what abacus training builds.
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