Do you want to learn a nifty trick about Table Nine?  It’s all in your hands.  That’s right.

You can read the nine times table on your hands.  Here’s how.

Place your hands in front of yourself, palms facing towards you.

From left to right, your fingers are one through ten.

Let’s begin.

What is 9 x 3?

Fold finger three.

Count the number of fingers that are standing up LEFT of the folded finger: 2.  That will be the tens place.

Count the number of fingers that are standing up RIGHT of the folded finger: 7.  That will be the units place.

Combine the numbers to read the answer: 27.

Let’s do another one and you’re on your way to doing the entire nine times table on your hands.

All fingers up.

What is 9 x 7?

Fold finger seven.

Number of fingers standing up LEFT of the folded finger: 6.

Number of fingers standing up RIGHT of the folded finger: 3.

9 x 7 = 63

Try it!  It really works.

Note:  If there are no fingers standing up, read that as a zero.  For example, 9 x 10 = 90.

This was first published in the Jan 2006 issue of Fun for Kidz.