The Five Times Table

The 5 times table is one of the friendliest tables of all, because every single answer ends in either 0 or 5. That simple, unbreakable pattern makes fives quick to learn and quick to check, which is why many children feel a real surge of confidence when they master this table. It is also the perfect bridge between the easy early tables and the tougher ones ahead.

Fives are woven into daily life, most obviously on a clock face where each mark represents five minutes. Learning the 5 times table therefore has an immediate, practical payoff, helping children tell the time, count money and skip count with ease.

Patterns in the five times table

Every answer ends in 0 or 5, with no exceptions.
The answers alternate between numbers ending in 5 and numbers ending in 0.
Answers to even multiples end in 0, while answers to odd multiples end in 5.
Counting in fives — 5, 10, 15, 20 — matches the minute marks around a clock face.

Handy tricks

Half then times ten: 5 x 8 is half of 8 (which is 4) followed by a zero, giving 40.
Use a clock face — each number represents five minutes, so the five times table is literally on the wall.
Count in fives on one hand at a time, with each hand worth five.
Remember the ending: even multiplier means the answer ends in 0, odd means it ends in 5.

Worked examples

5 x 3 = 15. Half of 3 is 1.5, so 5 x 3 = 15.
5 x 6 = 30. Half of 6 is 3, so 5 x 6 = 30.
5 x 8 = 40. Half of 8 is 4, so 5 x 8 = 40.
5 x 11 = 55. Half of 11 is 5.5, so 5 x 11 = 55.

Where you see it in real life

Reading the minutes on an analogue clock.
Counting five-pence or five-pound units of money.
Working out how many fingers are on several hands.
Counting objects arranged in fives, such as tally marks.

Common mistakes to avoid

Writing an answer that does not end in 0 or 5, which is always wrong.
Mixing up whether the answer ends in 0 or 5 — check if the multiplier is odd or even.
Rushing and skipping a five when counting up.

Practice questions

5 x 4 = ? (answer: 20)
5 x 7 = ? (answer: 35)
5 x 2 = ? (answer: 10)
5 x 9 = ? (answer: 45)
5 x 5 = ? (answer: 25)
5 x 12 = ? (answer: 60)
5 x 3 = ? (answer: 15)
5 x 8 = ? (answer: 40)
5 x 6 = ? (answer: 30)
5 x 11 = ? (answer: 55)

Frequently asked questions

Why do all the answers in the 5 times table end in 0 or 5?

Because five is half of ten. Each step adds five, so the units digit flips between 5 and 0 every time.

How can a clock help with the 5 times table?

Each number on a clock face is five minutes apart, so counting round the clock — 5, 10, 15, 20 — rehearses the whole table.

What is a quick trick for the 5 times table?

Halve the number and add a zero. For example, 5 x 6 is half of 6, which is 3, followed by a zero, giving 30.