The 12 times table
The 12 times table is the last one in the England curriculum and the top row of the MTC grid. It is easier than it looks because 12 is 10 + 2: every fact is a 10s fact plus a 2s fact, both of which children already know. It also lives in everyday life - twelve months, twelve in a dozen, twelve hours on a clock face.
Introduced in Year 4 · tested in the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check · free, no sign-up
The full table - 12 × 1 to 12 × 12
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| 12 × 1 | 12 |
| 12 × 2 | 24 |
| 12 × 3 | 36 |
| 12 × 4 | 48 |
| 12 × 5 | 60 |
| 12 × 6 | 72 |
| 12 × 7 | 84 |
| 12 × 8 | 96 |
| 12 × 9 | 108 |
| 12 × 10 | 120 |
| 12 × 11 | 132 |
| 12 × 12 | 144 |
Multiples of 12: 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144
How to remember the 12 times table
12 x 7 = 10 x 7 + 2 x 7 = 70 + 14 = 84. 12 x 9 = 90 + 18 = 108. 12 x 12 = 120 + 24 = 144. This single method covers the whole table and uses only the two easiest tables in the grid.
12 x 8: 6 x 8 = 48, doubled is 96. If the 6s are secure, every 12s fact is one doubling away. It also gives a second route to check the first.
A dozen eggs, 12 months in a year, 12 hours on the clock. Three dozen eggs is 36, five years is 60 months. Real dozens make the table concrete.
12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144. The ones digits climb in twos - 2, 4, 6, 8, 0 - and repeat, because 12 x n has the same last digit as 2 x n.
- 12 x 12 = 144 - the top corner of the grid; 120 + 24, and 144 is a square number worth knowing
- 12 x 7 = 84 and 12 x 8 = 96 - use 10s plus 2s: 70 + 14, 80 + 16
- 12 x 9 = 108 and 12 x 11 = 132 - the three-digit answers that appear in the MTC
Practise what you have learnt
Frequently asked questions
What are the multiples of 12 up to 144?
12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144. They are every second multiple of 6 and every fourth multiple of 3, and the last digits repeat 2, 4, 6, 8, 0.
Why does England learn tables up to 12 rather than 10?
The national curriculum for England requires recall of all multiplication tables up to 12 x 12 by the end of Year 4, and the Multiplication Tables Check tests facts up to 12 x 12. Twelve also matches everyday units - dozens, months and hours.
What is the easiest way to learn the 12 times table?
Split 12 into 10 + 2: multiply by 10, multiply by 2, add the two answers. 12 x 6 = 60 + 12 = 72. Once that is quick, double the 6s as a second route.
Is 12 x 12 in the Multiplication Tables Check?
Yes. The MTC covers facts from the 2 to 12 times tables up to 12 x 12, and it includes more questions from the 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 times tables because those are the ones children find hardest.