3rd grade · 12 facts · multiplication

5 times table

The 5 times table is the clock table. The minute hand points at the 1 for 5 minutes past, at the 2 for 10 minutes, at the 3 for 15, all the way round to the 12 for 60. Each number on the clock face times 5 gives the minutes, so a child who reads a clock to five minutes already knows most of this table.

Fives are also friendly to count by, because a hand has five fingers. Holding up hands and counting by 5s is often how this table begins, and it is a good bridge from counting to knowing.

All 12 facts of the 5 times table

  • 5 × 1 = 5
  • 5 × 2 = 10
  • 5 × 3 = 15
  • 5 × 4 = 20
  • 5 × 5 = 25
  • 5 × 6 = 30
  • 5 × 7 = 35
  • 5 × 8 = 40
  • 5 × 9 = 45
  • 5 × 10 = 50
  • 5 × 11 = 55
  • 5 × 12 = 60

Printable practice sheet (PDF) — 24 problems: the 12 facts in order, then the same facts mixed up. The answer key is on page 2. Free to print, no sign-up.

Timed drill: the 5 times table

12 facts in a random order. A right answer within 3 seconds counts as by heart. Free, no sign-up, and nothing is saved: it all happens on this screen.

Type with the keypad or your keyboard, then press Check or Enter.

What to notice

Every answer in the 5s ends in 5 or 0. Odd numbers times 5 end in 5 (5 × 7 = 35); even numbers times 5 end in 0 (5 × 8 = 40). That one rule checks any answer.

There is a neat link to the 10s: 5 times a number is half of 10 times it. 10 × 8 = 80, so 5 × 8 is half of 80, which is 40. It works for odd numbers too: 10 × 7 = 70, and half of 70 is 35. Later it becomes a real strategy for something like 5 × 14.

The 5s also split the harder tables. 6 × 7 is five 7s and one more 7: 35 + 7 = 42. That is why the 5s are worth learning early and well.

How to practise at home

  • Use a clock with hands, or draw one. Point at a number and ask how many minutes past the hour that is. Then say “five times that number” so your child hears the two ideas as one.
  • Count nickels. Each nickel is 5 cents, so seven nickels is 5 × 7 cents. Coins give the facts a weight in the hand.
  • Do high-five counting: everyone in the room holds up one hand, and you count the fingers by 5s. Four people, 20 fingers.
  • When the chant is quick, switch to single facts with the drill on this page. The 5s are a table many children can get to by heart early, which builds confidence for the harder ones.

Slips to watch for

  • Ending an odd fact in 0, such as 30 for 5 × 7. Remind your child of the rule: an odd number times 5 ends in 5.
  • Counting by 5s from the wrong starting point, such as 45 for 5 × 8 after starting the count at 10. The clock face fixes the starting point.
  • Splitting 5 × 12 wrongly into 50 and 2. 5 × 10 = 50 and 5 × 2 = 10, so the answer is 50 + 10 = 60, which is also the minutes in an hour.

More math facts