Is it normal for a college student to not know multiplication tables?

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11 Comments

I'm most of the way through college, and I never fully learned the 10x10 multiplication table. I'm a computer science major, so I've gone through three semesters of calculus (with As), one semester of statistics (B), as well as others (all As and Bs).

The problem though is that when I multiply single digit numbers, I use repeated addition to get my result. If I'm multiplying 7 * 4, I think of 7 + 7 = 14, then 14 + 14 = 28. If I'm multiplying 6 * 7, I'm mentally calculating 7 + 7 + 7 = 21, then 21 + 21 = 42. It's a constant game of factoring out one of the original factors, then adding numbers together based on my factorization.

In a 10x10 multiplication table I have probably 50% of it memorized. I've always thought that most people memorized the 10x10 or 12x12 multiplication table in elementary school, and that I've missed out, but I tend to do OK in most classes that require math.

Is it normal for me to not know multiplication tables at 22 years old?

Voting Results
57% Normal
Based on 200 votes (115 yes)
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Comments ( 11 )
  • [Old Memory]
    12 years ago

    What are these "numbers" you speak of?

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  • joybird
    12 years ago

    Kids memorize it by rote but your addition method is used when they get stuck. There are lots of patterns that you will see and the 10x is just a matter of adding a zero to the end. Get a poster and learn by rote.

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  • methodical
    12 years ago

    thats what calculators are for. not being lazy but i suck at math plain and simple and calculators have helped me go quicker instead of working it all out thru adding and factoring.

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  • Crudhouse
    12 years ago

    I used to program as a kid. I had to use the multiplication quite a bit. I'm not too sure computer science is the best way to go for you. In any case you need to learn your tables

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  • Heyheyhey103
    12 years ago

    Your method would slow you down on any test you can take. I guess almost everybody thinks like that, but I seriously knew all of them in third grade, you should really learn.

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    • Heyheyhey103
      12 years ago

      Oh and I can do them up to 25.

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  • QuietSerenity
    12 years ago

    I think it's completely normal to forget your times tables. Because you're being bombarded with complicated math, science, and history stuff, you'll forget the basic skills you learned back as a kid.

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  • rock-chick
    12 years ago

    calculator anyone?

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  • rin
    12 years ago

    Yeah it's normal. I thought I was the only one! They're easy to learn after you see the patterns but I think I didn't learn it the way I should have when I was younger. I do the same thing you do.

    Take the time to memorize the shortcuts and you'll soon know them by heart.

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  • Avant-Garde
    12 years ago

    I have a slightly similar problem. I once knew them very well, but when I do math now, I can barely remember it. I'll try to figure it out, but I'll say five different answers until I can figure out the right one.

    I'm okay with some things, but the majority of it really confuses me:/

    I don't have a degree for computer science, but I take art classes. Art doesn't really require math, but there's allot of angles and whatnot:/

    I guess it's normal:)

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  • Donno
    12 years ago

    I can't do multiplication such as 7 an 8 x tables but 10 come on even I can do that an I got an E in my GCSE test

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