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The three times table

Knowing your three times table really helps with your mental arithmetic, which will be handy in everyday life.

Here is the three times table:

1 x 3 = 37 x 3 = 21
2 x 3 = 68 x 3 = 24
3 x 3 = 99 x 3 = 27
4 x 3 = 1210 x 3 = 30
5 x 3 = 1511 x 3 = 33
6 x 3 = 1812 x 3 = 36
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Watch: 3x table

Watch the video from Supermovers to help you learn the three times table with Professor Pipette.

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Example 1

Bertie bought 7 boxes of cupcakes. Each box has 3 cupcakes. How many cupcakes has he bought altogether?

Use the array to help you work this out.

7 lots of 3 cakes

3 lots of 7 (or 7 lots of 3) is 21.

3 x 7 = 21

7 x 3 = 21

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Example 2

Take a look at the bar model. How could you work out the missing values?

Bar model showing 18, divided into 3 sections

There are 3 missing values. So 3 x ? = 18.

Use the inverse operation to work out the missing value.

18 Ă· 3 = ?

Let’s share 18 counters into three groups to help.

3 groups of 6

The missing value is 6.

6 x 3 = 18

3 x 6 = 18

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Example 3

Compare these two number sentences. Which symbol should be added to the box < , = or > ?*

36 divided by 3, an empty box, 3 times 4

First, you need to work out what each division or multiplication equals.

36 Ă· 3 = 12

3 x 4 = 12

They both have the same answer! Therefore you need to use the equal sign.

36 divided by 3, an equals sign, 3 times 4
Did you know?

Did you know that there is an easy test to see whether a number is a multiple of 3 or not?

If you added up all the digits of the number, and the answer is 3, 6 or 9, it is a multiple of 3!

For example, is 324 a multiple of 3?

3 + 2 + 4 = 9

Yes it is!

Did you know?
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Activity

Quiz

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NEW! Play Guardians: Defenders of Mathematica - the Halloween update
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More on Multiplying and dividing

Find out more by working through a topic