9 Times Table
The 9 times table looks like one of the hard ones and is secretly one of the easiest. It has more reliable patterns than any other table, including a trick you can do on your hands.
Counting up in 9s: 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81, 90
Visual Explorer
Click any line in the table on the left to see it visualised below!
Choose objects:
9 × 1 = 9
1 group of 9 = 9 stars!
Test Yourself
Fill in every answer, then press Check Answers to see how you did.
The clever bit
Ten lots, minus one lot
Nine is one less than ten, and every trick in this table comes from that single fact.
Ten lots, minus one lot
- 9 × 6 → 60 − 6 = 54
- 9 × 7 → 70 − 7 = 63
- 9 × 8 → 80 − 8 = 72
This is the fastest method, and unlike the finger trick it carries on working beyond 9 × 10.
The finger trick
Hold both hands up with all ten fingers showing. To work out 9 × 4, fold down the fourth finger from the left:
- Fingers standing to the left of the folded one: 3 → that is the tens
- Fingers standing to the right: 6 → that is the units
9 × 4 = 36. Try 9 × 7: fold the seventh finger, leaving 6 on the left and 3 on the right → 63. It works for every fact from 9 × 1 to 9 × 10.
The two checks
Both of these confirm an answer instantly:
- The digits add up to 9. 18 → 1 + 8 = 9. 45 → 4 + 5 = 9. 72 → 7 + 2 = 9.
- The tens digit is one less than the number you multiplied by. For 9 × 6, the tens digit is 5.
Put them together and you can build any fact from scratch. For 9 × 8: the tens digit is 7, and 7 + ? = 9 means the units digit is 2 → 72. No memory required at all.
Step one
Practise the 9 times table
Pick the answer you think is right. Nothing is timed and nothing is scored — this part is just for getting comfortable.
Practice needs JavaScript switched on. You can still read the whole table above — it works everywhere.
Step two
Take the 9 times table quiz
Ten questions, typed in. Get any wrong and you can practise just those straight afterwards.
The quiz needs JavaScript switched on. You can still read the whole table above — it works everywhere.
The ones people trip on
Most mistakes in the 9 times table land on these. Each one has a way in.
9 × 7 = 63
70 − 7 = 63. Check it: 6 + 3 = 9, so it belongs in the table.
9 × 8 = 72
80 − 8 = 72. Check it: 7 + 2 = 9. And the tens digit is 7, one less than 8.
Where the 9 times table shows up
Squares on a noughts and crosses grid, players on a baseball team, planets if you still count Pluto. Three grids have 3 × 9 = 27 squares.
Questions parents ask
How does the 9 times table finger trick work?
Hold up all ten fingers. To find 9 × 4, fold down your fourth finger from the left. Three fingers stand to its left and six to its right, giving 36. It works for every fact from 9 × 1 to 9 × 10.
Why do the digits of the 9 times table always add up to 9?
Because 9 is one less than 10. Each time you add another 9, the tens digit goes up by one and the units digit goes down by one, so their total never changes. 18, 27, 36, 45 all have digits summing to 9.
What is the quickest way to multiply by 9?
Multiply by 10 and subtract the number once. For 9 × 7: ten sevens are 70, minus one 7 gives 63. This is faster than the finger trick and it keeps working past 9 × 10.
Is there a pattern in the tens digit of the 9 times table?
Yes. The tens digit is always one less than the number you are multiplying by. For 9 × 6 the tens digit is 5, and the units digit makes the pair add to 9, so the answer is 54.