Multiplication of 2, 4, 8 

I have helped students who are given a 10 x 10 multiplication table and in school they are required to memorize it.  Many students have a difficult time with this task.  They also use speed method like using flash cards in class.  There are also classes that use the flash cards and use speed methods to learn.  The problem with speed methods is that only the best students benefit from this and the rest of the students are left behind. Some students respond well to these methods but there are many students who don't respond well to this form of learning how to multiply.  These students are left behind and many never recover from this in developing their math skills.  Here is a method I use to teach multiplication of 2, 4 and 8.

Here is a easy way to memorize the numbers:

• When I was young we used to learn numbers like 2's by rhythmically saying.  This was common on kids shows like Sesame Street.

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 

70 72 74 76 78 80

• It is very easy to memorize.  After these numbers are memorized, the student can say: 2 times 2 is 4, 2 times 3 is 6, 2 times 8 is 16,  2 times 9 is 18, and 2 times 10 is 20.The next thing is for a person the rhythmic saying and silently say 2 and then say 4 out loud and then silently say 6 and then say 8 out loud.  This can be done while looking at the chart and saying out loud the high lighted numbers.

2  4  6  8  10  12  14  16  18  20  22  24  26  28  30  32  34  36  38  40  42  44  46 48 50  52  54  56 58  60  62  64    66  68   70  72  74  76  78 80

Then a person can rhythmically say 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80.

After the numbers are memorized say: 4 times 2 is 8, 4 times 3 is 12, 4 times 4 is 16, 4 times 5 is 20, 4 times 6 is 24, 4 times 7 is 28, 4 times 8 is 32, 4 times 9 is 36, and 4 times 10 is 40.

• The last step is to rhythmically say 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80.   A person can then say 8 times 2 is 16, 8 times 3 is 24, 8 times 4 is 32, 8 times 5 is 40, 8 times 6 is 48, 8 times 7 is 56, 8 times 8 is 64, 8 times 9 is 72, and 8 times 10 is 80.

I would recommend that a student go through the first step this 5 times twice a day for a week. Then a student can do the second step for 5 times twice a day for 3 days.  Then the student can do the 3rd step 5 times twice a day for 3 days.  If a student counts the 1's there are 35 memorized and over half way done.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
1	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
2	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20
3	3	6	9	12	15	18	21	24	27	30
4	4	8	12	16	20	24	28	32	36	40
5	5	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50
6	6	12	18	24	30	36	42	48	54	60
7	7	14	21	28	35	42	49	56	63	70
8	8	16	24	32	40	48	56	64	72	80
9	9	18	27	36	45	54	63	72	81	90
10	10	20	30	40	50	60	70	80	90	100

After the student has memorized the numbers, they can fill out their table and see their progress.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 3 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 45 48 51 54 57 60 63 66 69 72 75 78 81 84 87 90 4 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 100 104 108 112 116 120 5 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 215 120 125 130 135 140 145 150 6 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96 102 108 114 120 126 132 238 144 150 156 162 168 174 180 7 7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56 63 70 77 84 91 98 105 112 119 126 133 140 147 154 261 168 175 182 189 196 203 210 8 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96 104 112 120 128 136 144 152 160 168 176 285 192 200 208 216 224 232 240 9 9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90 99 108 117 126 135 144 153 162 171 180 189 208 308 216 225 234 243 252 261 270 10 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300