---
title: "Mental multiplication and division"
description: "Use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally, including multiplying by 0 and 1, dividing by 1, and multiplying together three numbers"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/mental-multiplication-and-division-mt_pjfmCMMPjO
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/mental-multiplication-and-division-mt_pjfmCMMPjO.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

> **Agent view.** This is the Markdown twin of the page, for tools and assistants.
> When to use this site, and the call that answers each job: https://lightmysky.com/agent-instructions.md
> API description (OpenAPI 3.1): https://lightmysky.com/openapi.json · Authentication: https://lightmysky.com/auth.md
> Pricing: https://lightmysky.com/pricing.md · Catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms.txt · Full catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms-full.txt
> Every machine-readable file on this domain: https://lightmysky.com/.well-known/ai-catalog.json
> Ask for Markdown with `Accept: text/markdown`, a `.md` address, or `?mode=agent`.

# Mental multiplication and division

Use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally, including multiplying by 0 and 1, dividing by 1, and multiplying together three numbers

Subject: Mathematics · Area: Multiplication & Division · Ages 8 to 9
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/mental-multiplication-and-division-mt_pjfmCMMPjO

## Ready when they can

- Calculate 40 × 6 = 240 mentally using place value
- Explain why any number × 0 = 0 and any number × 1 = the number itself
- Multiply three numbers mentally by choosing a useful pair first (e.g. 2 × 7 × 5 = 2 × 5 × 7 = 70)

## Lesson: Multiplying and dividing in your head

You already know your times tables. Now you can use that knowledge to solve bigger problems in your head, without writing anything down.

**Example.** To work out 40 × 6, first solve the easy fact: 4 × 6 = 24. Then remember that 40 is really 4 tens, so multiply your answer by 10. 24 × 10 = 240.

Two facts are so useful you can use them straight away, with no working out. Any number times 0 is 0, because you have zero groups of that number. Any number times 1 stays exactly the same, because one group of something is just that many.

*(drawing: When you multiply three numbers, you can multiply them in any order. Find a pair that makes a friendly number first.)*

**Tip.** Look for a pair that makes 10, 20, or 100. Multiply that pair first, then multiply by the number that is left.

**Recap.** Use facts you already know, apply the shortcut for × 0 and × 1, and reorder three numbers to find an easy pair first.

## Practice

15 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Place value of each digit](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/place-value-of-each-digit-mt_jY7uf0Cb7o)
- [All times tables to 12×12](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/all-times-tables-to-12-12-mt_K5jM7vlVhA)
- [Properties of Operations](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/properties-of-operations-mt_Lb2ZnMdkYR)

## Opens up

- [Mental multiplication and division (age 9+)](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/mental-multiplication-and-division-age-9-mt_8A3pZNOp7Z)