The 4 times table
The 4 times table is the 2 times table doubled - 'double, then double again' is the phrase every Year 3 teacher uses. That makes it one of the quickest tables to learn once the 2s are secure, and it carries children straight on to the 8s.
Introduced in Year 3 · tested in the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check · free, no sign-up
The full table - 4 × 1 to 4 × 12
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| 4 × 1 | 4 |
| 4 × 2 | 8 |
| 4 × 3 | 12 |
| 4 × 4 | 16 |
| 4 × 5 | 20 |
| 4 × 6 | 24 |
| 4 × 7 | 28 |
| 4 × 8 | 32 |
| 4 × 9 | 36 |
| 4 × 10 | 40 |
| 4 × 11 | 44 |
| 4 × 12 | 48 |
Multiples of 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48
How to remember the 4 times table
4 x 6: double 6 is 12, double 12 is 24. 4 x 7: 14, then 28. Every 4s fact is two doublings of the number. This is the single most useful trick in the whole table and it works for 4 x 12 too (24, then 48).
If 2 x 9 = 18, then 4 x 9 is twice that: 36. Children who know their 2s can check any 4s answer by doubling the matching 2s fact.
4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48 - the last digits cycle 4, 8, 2, 6, 0 and then start again. Spotting the cycle makes skip-counting in fours feel automatic.
- 4 x 7 = 28 - the classic stumble; double 7 (14), double again (28)
- 4 x 8 = 32 and 4 x 6 = 24 - both come out of double-double reliably, so use it rather than guessing
- 4 x 12 = 48 - 4 x 10 = 40, plus 4 x 2 = 8
Practise what you have learnt
Frequently asked questions
What are the multiples of 4 up to 48?
4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48 - every other multiple of 2. The last digits go 4, 8, 2, 6, 0 and repeat.
When do children learn the 4 times table?
In Year 3, alongside the 3 and 8 times tables. It is taught after the 2s because it is simply the 2s doubled.
What is the double-double trick?
To multiply by 4, double the number, then double the result. 4 x 9: double 9 is 18, double 18 is 36. It works for every number and means the 4s never have to be memorised cold.
How do the 4s help with the 8 times table?
The 8s are the 4s doubled: 8 x 7 = 2 x (4 x 7) = 2 x 28 = 56. Secure 4s make the 8s - one of the hardest tables - much easier in Year 3 and Year 4.