What is the 3 times table?

The 3 times table is: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36. These are the products of multiplying 3 by each number from 1 to 12.

What is the trick for the 3 times table?

The digits of every product in the 3 times table add up to 3, 6, or 9. For example: 3 times 7 = 21, and 2 + 1 = 3. This gives children a quick way to check their answers. The 3 times table also alternates between odd and even products.

When do children learn the 3 times table?

Children in England typically start learning the 3 times table in Year 3 (age 7–8), after mastering the 2, 5 and 10 times tables in Year 2. By the end of Year 4, they should know it fluently as part of the full set of tables to 12 times 12.

3 Times Table — Tips, Tricks & Practice for the Three Times Table | Times Tables Check

The 3 times table is often one of the first tables children tackle after the 2s, 5s and 10s. It has clear patterns that make it accessible, and mastering it early pays off — the 3s are the foundation for learning the 6 times table through doubling.

The 3 Times Table in Full

Fact	Product
3 × 1	3
3 × 2	6
3 × 3	9
3 × 4	12
3 × 5	15
3 × 6	18
3 × 7	21
3 × 8	24
3 × 9	27
3 × 10	30
3 × 11	33
3 × 12	36

Patterns in the 3 Times Table

The Digit Sum Rule

This is the most useful pattern in the 3 times table. Add the digits of any product together, and the result is always 3, 6, or 9:

3 × 4 = 12 → 1 + 2 = 3
3 × 6 = 18 → 1 + 8 = 9
3 × 8 = 24 → 2 + 4 = 6
3 × 9 = 27 → 2 + 7 = 9
3 × 12 = 36 → 3 + 6 = 9

If the digits do not add up to 3, 6, or 9, the answer is wrong. This is a quick self-check children can use during practice.

Odd-Even Alternation

The products alternate between odd and even: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36. Knowing this helps children catch errors — 3 × 5 should be odd (15), not even.

Skip Counting Pattern

The 3 times table follows a simple skip-counting rhythm: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30… Many children learn this as a chant before they connect it to multiplication. Counting in 3s is the foundation — once the counting is fluent, linking it to “3 × 7 means the 7th number in the sequence” is straightforward.

Building from the 3s to the 6s

The 3 times table is worth learning thoroughly because it unlocks the 6 times table through doubling:

3 times table	Double it	6 times table
3 × 4 = 12	12 × 2	6 × 4 = 24
3 × 7 = 21	21 × 2	6 × 7 = 42
3 × 8 = 24	24 × 2	6 × 8 = 48

When your child learns the 3s well, the 6s become much easier. This doubling relationship (3 → 6, like 2 → 4 → 8) is one of the most efficient routes through the times tables.

The Tricky Facts

Most of the 3 times table facts appear early and become familiar through practice. The ones that tend to need extra attention:

Fact	Product	Strategy
3 × 7	21	Digit sum check: 2 + 1 = 3
3 × 8	24	Double 12 (from 3 × 4)
3 × 9	27	Digit sum check: 2 + 7 = 9
3 × 12	36	3 × 10 + 3 × 2 = 30 + 6

Practice Ideas

Start with skip counting: say the 3 times table sequence aloud together (3, 6, 9, 12…) until it flows naturally.
Use the digit sum rule as a checking game: call out products and have your child verify whether they are genuine 3 times table answers.
Build groups of 3 with counters to reinforce the equal-groups structure.
Once the 3s are secure, practise the 6s alongside them to strengthen the doubling connection.
Use Times Tables Check to practise the 3 times table specifically, then mix it with 4s and 6s.

2 Times Table — the table most children learn just before the 3s
4 Times Table — another table learned around the same time
6 Times Table — double the 3s, with its own patterns
9 Times Table — the digit-sum pattern taken further
Times Tables 1 to 12 — all tables with tips for each
Multiplication Chart — the full grid with patterns explained
Times Tables Games — in-person games for practising at home