Skip to the content
Peabody TeachFor teachers and grown-ups

Times table tricks: 3rd grade math

Fact strategies by family: ×2 doubles, ×5 half of ×10, ×9 is ×10 − n, ×4 double-double, ×3 is ×2 + n, square facts, then the "hard 7s and 8s" via the distributive property. A free 3rd grade lesson plan, a question set with answers and a printable sheet with its key. Copy it and make it yours.

Lesson plan

Goal

  • Students can do this: fact strategies by family: ×2 doubles, ×5 half of ×10, ×9 is ×10 − n, ×4 double-double, ×3 is ×2 + n, square facts, then the "hard 7s and 8s" via the distributive property.

Teach (10 min)

  • Times 4 is doubling twice: 4 × 6 is double 12, which is 24.
  • Times 3 is a double plus one more group.
  • Work one example on the board while students say each step aloud, then do one together.

Practise (15 min)

  • Students work the printable sheet in pairs, then alone.
  • Or practise it as a game with no sign-up: https://peabody.kids/math/whole.mulFacts?lesson=3-times-3-4&at=3

Exit ticket (5 min)

  • Three questions on a slip:
  • 1. 8 × 3 = ?
  • 2. 4 × 3 = ?
  • 3. 4 × 3 = ?

Question set

10 questions that read in words, easiest first. Questions that need a picture are on the printable sheet below.

  1. 8 × 3 = ?
  2. 4 × 3 = ?
  3. 4 × 3 = ?
  4. 8 × 3 = ?
  5. 5 × 3 = ?
  6. 3 × 2 = ?
  7. 3 × 9 = ?
  8. 3 × 2 = ?
  9. 3 × 9 = ?
  10. 4 × 3 = ?
Answers
  1. 24
  2. 12
  3. 12
  4. 24
  5. 15
  6. 6
  7. 27
  8. 6
  9. 27
  10. 12

Printable sheet

Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

Times table tricks (3rd grade)

  1. 10 × 3 = ?
  2. 8 × 3 = ?
  3. 3 × 6 = ?
  4. 7 × 3 = ?
  5. 3 × 7 = ?
  6. 3 × 7 = ?
  7. 7 × 4 = ?
  8. 1 × 3 = ?
  9. 3 × 7 = ?
  10. 4 × 3 = ?
  11. 3 × 4 = ?
  12. 3 × 3 = ?
Key
  1. 30
  2. 24
  3. 18
  4. 21
  5. 21
  6. 21
  7. 28
  8. 3
  9. 21
  10. 12
  11. 12
  12. 9

Written by Peabody from its own skill pages. Free, no ads, no sign-in. Children can practise this on Peabody. More from teachers: teacher-shared resources.