Multiplication Chart
A multiplication chart is a grid where the cell in row r and column c holds r × c. Choose the size (up to 10, 12, 15 or 20), whether to show the products or leave them blank, and shading, and the chart is drawn to fit your paper.
Your sheet
Printing: choose Actual size or 100%, not “Fit to page”, so 1 cm prints as 1 cm. How to check.
How is the chart filled in?
Cell (row r, column c) = r × c. The diagonal holds the squares r × r. The chart is symmetrical: cell (r, c) equals cell (c, r).
Worked example. In the 12 × 12 chart, row 7 reads 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, 70, 77, 84: each entry is 7 more than the one before. Column 7 reads the same, which is why the chart mirrors itself. The cell at row 7, column 7 is 49, a square number, and is shaded amber.
Patterns to find on the chart
The 2s, 4s and 8s rows are all even. The 5s row ends in 0 and 5 alternately. The 9s row has digits that add to 9 from 9 to 90 (18, 27, 36 …). The 10s row is the 1s row with a zero on the end. The 11s row repeats digits up to 99. Spotting these turns the chart from a list to memorise into a set of rules.
Using the chart for division
To divide 56 by 7, find 56 in the 7 row and read the column it is in: 8. Every division fact is on the chart, which is why children who know the grid find long division much easier.
Printing for a classroom wall
Print the 12 × 12 chart on A3 or Tabloid in colour for the wall, and the blank chart on A4 for each child. The PNG download is at 300 dots per inch, sharp enough for a poster printer.
Questions about multiplication charts
How do I read a multiplication chart?
Find one number along the top row and the other down the left column; the cell where that column and row meet is their product. 7 along the top and 8 down the side meet at 56. Because 7 × 8 = 8 × 7, the chart is symmetrical about its diagonal.
Should I print 10 × 10, 12 × 12 or bigger?
Most schools teach to 12 × 12, so that is the default. 10 × 10 is enough for early years. 15 × 15 and 20 × 20 are for older students or for anyone who wants to spot patterns in the larger tables; the cells get smaller, so print those on A4 or Letter in portrait.
What are the shaded diagonal cells?
The square numbers, where a number is multiplied by itself: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100, 121, 144. They run down the diagonal and split the chart into two mirror halves.
What is the blank chart for?
Practice. Untick “Show the products” and the grid keeps its headers but every cell is empty. Fill it in against the clock, then check it against the filled chart. Filling the whole 12 × 12 grid in under four minutes is a common target.
Is a multiplication chart the same as a times table chart?
Yes. “Times table chart” is the usual British term and “multiplication chart” the American one. Both mean the full grid. For each table on its own card, see the multiplication table maker.