The 3 times table
The 3 times table is the first one that cannot be done by doubling, so it is where real recall begins. It has a lovely hidden pattern: add up the digits of any multiple of 3 and you get another multiple of 3. It is introduced in Year 3 and is the base for the 6s and 9s.
Introduced in Year 3 · tested in the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check · free, no sign-up
The full table - 3 × 1 to 3 × 12
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| 3 × 1 | 3 |
| 3 × 2 | 6 |
| 3 × 3 | 9 |
| 3 × 4 | 12 |
| 3 × 5 | 15 |
| 3 × 6 | 18 |
| 3 × 7 | 21 |
| 3 × 8 | 24 |
| 3 × 9 | 27 |
| 3 × 10 | 30 |
| 3 × 11 | 33 |
| 3 × 12 | 36 |
Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36
How to remember the 3 times table
3 x 7 = double 7 (14) plus one more 7 = 21. Children who know their 2s can reach every 3s fact this way until it becomes automatic. It also shows why 3 x 7 is 7 more than 2 x 7.
Add the digits of the answer. 3 x 8 = 24 and 2 + 4 = 6, which is in the 3 times table. 27: 2 + 7 = 9. 36: 3 + 6 = 9. If the digit sum is not 3, 6 or 9, the answer is wrong.
3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36 - said with a clap on every third beat. Chanting the sequence is exactly how many English classrooms teach it; the rhythm carries the numbers.
The 3s alternate: 3 (odd), 6 (even), 9 (odd), 12 (even)... An odd number times 3 gives an odd answer, an even number times 3 gives an even answer. A quick way to catch a slip.
- 3 x 7 = 21 and 3 x 8 = 24 - the two facts children most often swap; anchor 3 x 7 on 'three sevens are twenty-one'
- 3 x 12 = 36 - think 3 x 10 = 30, plus 3 x 2 = 6
Practise what you have learnt
Frequently asked questions
What are the multiples of 3 up to 36?
3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36. Every one of them has a digit sum of 3, 6 or 9.
When do children learn the 3 times table?
In Year 3, together with the 4 and 8 times tables. It is usually the first table taught in Year 3 because it builds directly on the doubling children learnt for the 2s.
Why do children find the 3 times table harder than the 2s?
Because it is the first table without an obvious shortcut - you cannot just double or add a zero. The fix is a bridge: double then add one more, until the facts are recalled without working out.