X Tables
Times Table Methods

Skip counting versus memorising

Compare skip counting, reasoning and instant recall, and explain when each is useful.

Quick answer

Skip counting helps you understand how numbers work, while memorising helps you recall facts quickly. Both are important, but skip counting builds a deeper understanding, and memorisation makes calculations faster.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will understand how skip counting and memorising help you learn times tables, and when to use each method to solve problems.

Why this matters

Skip counting and memorising are two different ways to learn your times tables. Skip counting helps you understand how multiplication works, and memorising helps you solve problems quickly. Both are important for maths in school, games, and everyday life. Knowing when to use each method helps you become a better maths thinker.

How it works

Skip counting is counting by a number again and again, like 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. It shows you how numbers grow when you add the same number each time. Memorising is remembering the answer without counting, like knowing 6 × 7 = 42. You can use both methods together. Skip counting helps you build the idea of multiplication, and memorising helps you solve problems faster.

Examples you can see

Let’s look at the 5 times table. Skip counting: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 Memorising: 5 × 1 = 5, 5 × 2 = 10, 5 × 3 = 15, 5 × 4 = 20, 5 × 5 = 25, and so on. You can use skip counting to find 5 × 6. Count by 5s six times: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. So 5 × 6 = 30. Memorising helps you know 5 × 6 = 30 without counting. Let’s try a real-world example: You have 4 boxes of crayons, and each box has 8 crayons. You can skip count by 8s four times: 8, 16, 24, 32. So 4 × 8 = 32. Or you can memorise that 4 × 8 = 32.

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: The Treasure Hunt You are on a treasure hunt! You need to find 5 treasure chests, and each chest has 3 gold coins. How many coins do you have in total? You can skip count by 3s five times: 1st time: 3 coins 2nd time: 6 coins 3rd time: 9 coins 4th time: 12 coins 5th time: 15 coins So 5 × 3 = 15. Or, if you already know 5 × 3 = 15, you can use memorisation to solve it quickly.

Common mistakes

Mistake 1: Thinking skip counting is the same as memorising. Why it happens: Some children think they are doing the same thing. Fix: Skip counting shows how numbers grow, and memorising is remembering the answer. Mistake 2: Only memorising without understanding. Why it happens: Some children learn facts by rote without seeing how numbers work. Fix: Use skip counting to build understanding, then memorise the facts. Mistake 3: Forgetting to use skip counting when stuck. Why it happens: Children may not know what to do when they forget a times table. Fix: Always try skip counting if you’re stuck, and then memorise it.

Parent and carer guide

Parents and carers can help by: 1. Encouraging children to count by a number to build skip counting skills. 2. Using real-life examples like sharing snacks or counting toys. 3. Practising times tables with both skip counting and memorisation. 4. Not pushing too hard to memorise too fast – let children understand first. 5. Praising effort, not just answers. 6. Playing games like “What’s 7 × 4?” and asking if they skip counted or remembered. 7. Celebrating when children use both methods to solve a problem. 8. Helping children see that both methods are useful. 9. Not worrying if a child counts by 5s to find 5 × 6 – that’s skip counting and a good way to learn. 10. Making it fun by turning it into a game or story.

Practice questions

1. Count by 6s to find 6 × 4. Answer: 6, 12, 18, 24. So 6 × 4 = 24. 2. Use skip counting to solve 3 × 7. Answer: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21. So 3 × 7 = 21. 3. What is 8 × 5 if you skip count? Answer: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40. So 8 × 5 = 40. 4. If you know 9 × 3 = 27, how did you learn it? Answer: Either you memorised it or you skip counted by 3s three times. 5. What is 7 × 6 using skip counting? Answer: 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42. So 7 × 6 = 42.

FAQ

What is skip counting? Skip counting is counting by the same number over and over, like 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.

Why is skip counting helpful? Skip counting helps you understand how multiplication works and builds a strong base for learning times tables.

Is memorising better than skip counting? Both are helpful. Skip counting builds understanding, and memorising helps you solve problems faster.

When should I use skip counting? Use skip counting when you are learning a new times table or when you forget a fact.

Can I use both methods? Yes! Use skip counting to understand and memorising to solve quickly. They work together.

Times Table 0 × n 1 × n 2 × n 3 × n 4 × n 5 × n 6 × n 7 × n 8 × n 9 × n 10 × n 11 × n 12 × n
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
3 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36
4 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48
5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
6 0 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72
7 0 7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56 63 70 77 84
8 0 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96
9 0 9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90 99 108
10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
11 0 11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 110 121 132
12 0 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120 132 144