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0 times table pattern clues

Times Tables

0 times table pattern clues

Simple patterns, shortcuts and visual clues that make the 0 times table easier to remember.

Quick answer

Every number multiplied by zero equals zero. No matter what number you multiply by zero, the answer is always zero.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will know that any number times zero equals zero, and you can spot the pattern in the 0 times table quickly.

Why this matters

Knowing the 0 times table helps you solve bigger maths problems faster. It also makes you confident when you see multiplication with zero in real life, like when you have zero cookies to share or zero friends to give stickers to. Understanding this pattern helps with division, fractions, and algebra later on.

How it works

Multiplying any number by zero means you have zero groups of that number. If you have zero bags, and each bag has 5 apples, you still have zero apples. If you have 10 bags, and each bag has zero apples, you still have zero apples. Zero times any number is always zero.

Examples you can see

Here is the full 0 times table from 0 × 0 to 0 × 12:

0 × 0	0 × 1	0 × 2	0 × 3	0 × 4	0 × 5	0 × 6	0 × 7	0 × 8	0 × 9	0 × 10	0 × 11	0 × 12
0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Try this with your hands:

0 × 1 = 0 (no groups of 1 = zero)
0 × 5 = 0 (no groups of 5 = zero)
0 × 12 = 0 (no groups of 12 = zero)

Even if you multiply zero by zero, you still get zero:

0 × 0 = 0 (no groups of nothing = still nothing)

Try it as a mini adventure

Imagine you are a space explorer on a mission to collect stars. You have a special bag that only collects stars if you have at least one star to put in it. But what happens if you have zero stars to collect?

Adventure Challenge:

First time: You find 0 stars in a space cave. How many stars do you collect? 0 stars
Second time: You find 0 stars on a space rock. How many stars do you collect? 0 stars
Third time: You find 0 stars in a space garden. How many stars do you collect? 0 stars
Fourth time: You find 0 stars in a space library. How many stars do you collect? 0 stars

No matter how many times you look, if you find zero stars, you still collect zero stars. This is the pattern of the 0 times table!

Common mistakes

Mistake: Thinking 0 × 5 = 5
Why it happens: Confusing multiplication with addition or thinking that zero means "nothing" but still keeping the other number.
Fix: Remember that zero groups of anything means zero. 0 × 5 = 0 because you have zero bags with 5 stars in each bag.
Mistake: Thinking 0 × 0 = 0 because it's "nothing times nothing" and that must be nothing.
Why it happens: Confusing the idea of "nothing" with "zero".
Fix: 0 × 0 means zero groups of zero, which is still zero. Zero times zero is still zero.
Mistake: Mixing up 0 × 3 and 3 × 0
Why it happens: Thinking that order matters in multiplication.
Fix: Remember that multiplication is commutative – 0 × 3 = 3 × 0 = 0.

Parent and carer guide

Help your child understand that zero times any number is always zero. Use everyday examples like:

“If you have 0 apples and 5 friends, how many apples does each friend get?” (Answer: 0 apples each)
“If you have 10 bags, but each bag has 0 toys, how many toys do you have?” (Answer: 0 toys)

Ask questions to check understanding:

“What is 0 × 7?”
“What is 0 × 12?”
“If you had 0 bags of 3 marbles, how many marbles would you have?”

Use visual aids like drawing zero groups of objects or using counters to show that zero groups = zero total.

Don’t worry if your child gets confused at first – it’s normal to need time to understand that multiplying by zero is different from regular multiplication.

Practice questions

0 × 4 = ?
0 × 10 = ?
0 × 1 = ?
0 × 12 = ?
0 × 6 = ?
0 × 0 = ?
0 × 8 = ?
0 × 3 = ?
0 × 9 = ?
0 × 11 = ?

Answers:

FAQ

Why does any number times zero equal zero? Because multiplying by zero means you have zero groups of that number. If you have zero bags with apples in them, you have zero apples. Does 0 × 0 = 0? Yes, zero times zero equals zero. It means zero groups of zero items, which is still zero. Is the 0 times table different from other times tables? Yes, it's the only times table where the answer is always zero. It's a special pattern that's easy to remember once you understand it. Can I use the 0 times table to solve other maths problems? Yes! Knowing that any number times zero equals zero helps with simplifying bigger equations and solving word problems. What if I forget the 0 times table? Just remember: zero groups of anything = zero. You can always count on that rule!