Column multiplication — written method

Once the times tables are known, the written method lets children multiply any numbers. The difficulty is rarely the tables themselves: it is keeping digits in the right column and remembering what to carry. That is why every problem here is set out on squares, with a small row above for carried digits. The levels go from 2-digit × 1-digit to 3-digit × 1-digit, and then to 2-digit × 2-digit, with two lines for the partial products before the final addition.

✖️ Best for ages 8–11

How to get the most from these sheets

• Always start with the ones column, on the right.
• Write the carried digit small in the top row, above the next column.
• In 2-digit × 2-digit, remember the 0 at the start of the second line (you are multiplying by tens).
• Estimate first: 47 × 26 is about 50 × 25 = 1250, so 1222 is believable.

Frequently asked questions