The 4 times table
Also written as the multiplication table of 4. Here it is in full to 4 x 20, with the patterns worth pointing out, the fact children trip on, and free practice that does not need a sign-up.
4 x 1 to 4 x 12
| 4 × 1 | 4 |
|---|---|
| 4 × 2 | 8 |
| 4 × 3 | 12 |
| 4 × 4 | 16 |
| 4 × 5 | 20 |
| 4 × 6 | 24 |
| 4 × 7 | 28 |
| 4 × 8 | 32 |
| 4 × 9 | 36 |
| 4 × 10 | 40 |
| 4 × 11 | 44 |
| 4 × 12 | 48 |
4 x 13 to 4 x 20
| 4 × 13 | 52 |
|---|---|
| 4 × 14 | 56 |
| 4 × 15 | 60 |
| 4 × 16 | 64 |
| 4 × 17 | 68 |
| 4 × 18 | 72 |
| 4 × 19 | 76 |
| 4 × 20 | 80 |
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 4 times table
- Every answer is even, and the last digits cycle 4, 8, 2, 6, 0.
- Every answer is also a two times answer, sitting further down that table, because four is two twos.
The easiest way to learn it
Double twice. For 4 x 7, double 7 to get 14, then double 14 to get 28. Two easy steps beat one hard one.
The fact children get wrong
4 x 8 is 32. Children who know 4 x 7 is 28 often add 4 and land on 32 correctly, but those who guess tend to say 36. Double-double is the safety net: 8 doubles to 16, and 16 doubles to 32.
On the abacus
Doubling twice is a natural soroban movement, because each doubling is the same bead pattern applied again rather than a new formula to memorise.
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 4 times table?
The 4 times table is 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, continuing to 4 x 20 which is 80. It is the same thing as the multiplication table of 4: each answer is 4 added to the one before it.
What is the easiest way to learn the 4 times table?
Double twice. For 4 x 7, double 7 to get 14, then double 14 to get 28. Two easy steps beat one hard one.
Which fact in the 4 times table do children get wrong most often?
4 x 8 is 32. Children who know 4 x 7 is 28 often add 4 and land on 32 correctly, but those who guess tend to say 36. Double-double is the safety net: 8 doubles to 16, and 16 doubles to 32.
What is 4 x 12?
4 x 12 is 48. Twelve is the highest multiplier most primary schools require, though children who go further will need up to 4 x 20, which is 80.
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 4 x 3 has no attention left for 4 x 8. Fluency underneath is what makes the tables stick, and it is what abacus training builds.
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