X Tables
Times Tables Real Life

Empty Plates 0 times table adventure

A story-led page turning empty plates into a junior adventure for practising the 0 times table.

Quick answer

When you multiply any number by zero, the answer is always zero. This is like having empty plates – no matter how many plates you have, if they're all empty, there are still zero full plates.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will understand that multiplying any number by zero always gives zero, and you can use this idea to solve real-life problems. Success signs:
  • You can say what 0 × 5 means
  • You can solve 0 × 7 = ?
  • You can explain why 0 × 12 = 0
  • You can think of a real-life situation where 0 × something is useful

Why this matters

Knowing that any number times zero equals zero helps you solve puzzles, understand maths rules, and make sense of everyday situations. For example, if you have zero friends and you give each of them 5 cookies, you still have zero cookies given away. It's a useful rule to remember in maths and in life.

How it works

Multiplying by zero is like having empty plates. Let's imagine you have 3 plates, and each plate has 0 cookies on it. How many cookies do you have in total? Zero! No matter how many plates you have, if each plate is empty, there are no cookies at all. So:
  • 0 × 1 = 0
  • 0 × 2 = 0
  • 0 × 3 = 0
  • 0 × 4 = 0
  • 0 × 5 = 0
  • 0 × 6 = 0
  • 0 × 7 = 0
  • 0 × 8 = 0
  • 0 × 9 = 0
  • 0 × 10 = 0
  • 0 × 11 = 0
  • 0 × 12 = 0
This is always true – no matter how many plates or items you have, if there are none, the total is zero.

Examples you can see

Let's go on an adventure with empty plates to see how this works: Example 1: Empty plates You have 5 plates, and each plate has 0 cakes on it. How many cakes are there?
  • 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 0
  • Or, 5 × 0 = 0
Example 2: Empty toy boxes You have 3 toy boxes, and each box has 0 toys in it. How many toys are there?
  • 0 + 0 + 0 = 0
  • Or, 3 × 0 = 0
Example 3: Empty cups You have 10 cups, and each cup has 0 sweets in it. How many sweets are there?
  • 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 0
  • Or, 10 × 0 = 0

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: The Empty Plate Challenge You are a chef in a restaurant, and your job is to count how many full plates you have for a big dinner. But today, all the plates are empty. You have 1 plate, 2 plates, 3 plates, and so on up to 12 plates. You are going to count how many full plates you have in each group.
  • 1st time: 1 plate with 0 cakes = ? cakes
  • 2nd time: 2 plates with 0 cakes = ? cakes
  • 3rd time: 3 plates with 0 cakes = ? cakes
  • 4th time: 4 plates with 0 cakes = ? cakes
  • 5th time: 5 plates with 0 cakes = ? cakes
  • 6th time: 6 plates with 0 cakes = ? cakes
  • 7th time: 7 plates with 0 cakes = ? cakes
  • 8th time: 8 plates with 0 cakes = ? cakes
  • 9th time: 9 plates with 0 cakes = ? cakes
  • 10th time: 10 plates with 0 cakes = ? cakes
  • 11th time: 11 plates with 0 cakes = ? cakes
  • 12th time: 12 plates with 0 cakes = ? cakes
Answer: Each time, you have 0 cakes because all the plates are empty. So:
  • 1 × 0 = 0
  • 2 × 0 = 0
  • 3 × 0 = 0
  • 4 × 0 = 0
  • 5 × 0 = 0
  • 6 × 0 = 0
  • 7 × 0 = 0
  • 8 × 0 = 0
  • 9 × 0 = 0
  • 10 × 0 = 0
  • 11 × 0 = 0
  • 12 × 0 = 0

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Thinking 0 × 5 = 5 or 0 × 10 = 10
    Why it happens: Confusing multiplication with addition.
    Fix: Remember that multiplying by zero means no groups, so the answer is always zero.
  • Mistake: Thinking 0 × 0 = 0 because zero is nothing.
    Why it happens: Confusing the idea of "nothing" with "zero".
    Fix: 0 × 0 = 0, because you have zero groups of zero things – still nothing.
  • Mistake: Believing that 0 × 4 = 4 because 4 is a number.
    Why it happens: Not understanding that multiplication by zero means no items.
    Fix: Visualise empty plates – even if you have 4 plates, if they're empty, there are 0 items.

Parent and carer guide

This is a fun way to help your child understand that multiplying by zero always gives zero. Here’s how you can support them in just 5–10 minutes:
  • Play with empty plates: Use real plates or toys and show that no matter how many plates you have, if they’re empty, there are zero items.
  • Use everyday examples: "If you have 0 apples and you give them to 5 friends, how many apples did you give away?" (Answer: 0)
  • Count together: Count how many times 0 appears in a row, and say the multiplication sentence out loud.
  • Make it visual: Draw 3 empty plates and write 3 × 0 = 0. Repeat with different numbers.
  • Encourage curiosity: Ask your child, "Why do you think it always equals zero?"

Practice questions

  1. What is 0 × 4?
  2. What is 0 × 9?
  3. What is 0 × 12?
  4. What is 0 × 1?
  5. What is 0 × 7?
Answers:
  1. 0
  2. 0
  3. 0
  4. 0
  5. 0

FAQ

Why does 0 times anything equal 0?

Because multiplying by zero means you have zero groups of something. No matter how many items are in each group, if there are no groups, the total is zero.

Can you multiply zero by zero?

Yes! Zero times zero equals zero. It’s like having zero plates, and each plate is empty – still zero items.

Is multiplying by zero the same as adding zero?

No. Adding zero to a number doesn’t change it, but multiplying by zero always makes it zero. For example, 5 + 0 = 5, but 5 × 0 = 0.

How can I remember the 0 times table?

Think of empty plates. No matter how many plates you have, if they're empty, there are zero full plates. It’s always zero!

Can you use this in real life?

Yes! If you have 0 friends and you give each of them 5 sweets, you’ve given away 0 sweets. This helps with understanding sharing and counting in real situations.