5 Times Table — Tips, Tricks & Practice for the Five Times Table

The 5 times table is one of the first tables children learn, alongside the 2s and 10s. Its strong, predictable pattern — every product ends in 0 or 5 — makes it one of the easiest tables to master, and the connection to telling the time gives children a practical reason to learn it.

The 5 Times Table in Full

Patterns in the 5 Times Table

Every Product Ends in 0 or 5

This is the defining pattern. When the multiplier is even, the product ends in 0; when it is odd, the product ends in 5:

• 5 × 3 = 15 (odd multiplier → ends in 5)
• 5 × 4 = 20 (even multiplier → ends in 0)
• 5 × 7 = 35 (odd multiplier → ends in 5)
• 5 × 8 = 40 (even multiplier → ends in 0)

If an answer does not end in 0 or 5, it is wrong. This gives children an instant self-check.

Half of the 10 Times Table

Since 5 is half of 10, the 5 times table is exactly half the 10 times table. This gives a reliable calculation strategy:

• 5 × 6 = half of (10 × 6) = half of 60 = 30
• 5 × 7 = half of (10 × 7) = half of 70 = 35
• 5 × 9 = half of (10 × 9) = half of 90 = 45

Children who already know their 10 times table can use this to work out any 5 times table fact.

The Clock-Face Connection

An analogue clock is a 5 times table in disguise. The numbers 1 to 12 around the face represent groups of 5 minutes:

• The 3 on the clock = 5 × 3 = 15 minutes past
• The 7 on the clock = 5 × 7 = 35 minutes past
• The 9 on the clock = 5 × 9 = 45 minutes past

Practising telling the time on an analogue clock reinforces the 5 times table naturally, and children who know their 5s find learning to tell the time much easier.

Connection to Other Tables

The 5 times table connects to several other tables. It shares products with the 10 times table (every other product in the 10s appears in the 5s), and it overlaps with many other tables at key points:

• 5 × 4 = 20 is also 4 × 5
• 5 × 6 = 30 is also 6 × 5
• 5 × 8 = 40 is also 8 × 5

Because the 5 times table is learned early, these facts are often already known by the time children reach the harder tables. This means that when a child starts learning the 7 times table, they already know 7 × 5 = 35 — one fewer fact to learn.

The Tricky Facts

The 5 times table is one of the easiest tables, and very few facts cause real difficulty. The ones that occasionally need a moment of thought:

These are not genuinely difficult — they simply involve slightly larger numbers. The halving strategy and the 0-or-5 ending rule make them straightforward to work out or check.

Practice Ideas

• Start with skip counting: chant the 5 times table sequence aloud (5, 10, 15, 20, 25…) until it flows naturally.
• Use an analogue clock as a teaching tool: point to a number and ask your child how many minutes past it represents.
• Practise the halving strategy: call out a multiple of 10 and have your child halve it to find the corresponding 5 times table fact.
• Count groups of 5 using fingers, tally marks, or coins (5p pieces are ideal).
• Use Times Tables Check to practise the 5 times table specifically, then mix it with 2s and 10s.

Related Guides

• 2 Times Table — typically learned alongside the 5s in Year 2
• 10 Times Table — double the 5s, the foundation for the halving strategy
• 3 Times Table — often the next table after the 2s, 5s and 10s
• 4 Times Table — another table learned around the same time in Year 3
• 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