Multiplication table

In mathematics, a multiplication table (sometimes, less formally, a times table) is a mathematical table used to define a multiplication operation for an algebraic system.

The decimal multiplication table was traditionally taught as an essential part of elementary arithmetic around the world, as it lays the foundation for arithmetic operations with base-ten numbers. Many educators believe it is necessary to memorize the table up to 9 × 9.

History

The oldest known multiplication tables were used by the Sumerians about 4000 years ago. They used base 60. The oldest known tables using base 10 are the decimal multiplication table on bamboo strips dating to about 305 BC, found in China.

The table is sometimes attributed to Pythagoras. It is also called the Table of Pythagoras in many languages (for example French, Italian and apparently Russian long ago), sometimes in English.

In 493 A.D., Victorius of Aquitaine wrote a 98-column multiplication table which gave (in Roman numerals) the product of every number from 2 to 50 times and the rows were "a list of numbers starting with one thousand, descending by hundreds to one hundred, then descending by tens to ten, then by ones to one, and then the fractions down to 1/144" (Maher & Makowski 2001, p. 383)