Math Bulletin: Basic Facts
To do well in mathematics, students need to develop good number sense, understand
place value and know the basic facts.
Basic facts refer to all the addition facts up to 9 + 9 = 18 along with the related
subtraction facts 18 – 9 = 9. Students begin to learn strategies for addition and
subtraction facts in grade one and are expected to know the facts with automaticity
(within three seconds) by the end of grade 3.
Basic facts also refers to all the multiplication facts up to 9 x 9 = 81 along with the
related division facts 81 ÷ 9 = 9 (some people refer to them as the times table).
Students learn strategies up to 5 x 5 in grade 3, up to 9 x 9 in grade 4 and are expected
to know these basics facts with automaticity (within three seconds) by end of grade 5.
It is extremely important that students know these facts in order to be successful with
grade 5 and middle school math outcomes.
Below is a chart to inform how students will be assessed for these facts at the end of
this school year.
Grade
Addition & Subtraction
Grade 2
12 facts in 3 minutes
Grade 3
12 facts in 1 minute
Grade 4
15 facts in 1 minute
Grade 5
Multiplication & Division
15 facts in 2 minutes
15 facts in 1 minute
Students learn strategies at school to help them understand meaning first, then after
that it is practice, practice, practice for automaticity. A fun website to practice math
facts is:
www.fun4thebrain.com
Go to the above website. At the top of the screen, choose addition, subtraction,
multiplication or division. Then choose from the many games to play! Have fun!
Ask your child and/or your child’s teacher about the strategies used in math class to
help your child understand and become more efficient with the basic facts.
Multiplication Strategies
0-No groups, answer is zero
1-One group, answer is other factor
2- Double
3- Double, plus one more group
4- Double, Double
5- Skip count or clock strategy
6- Five groups + one more group
7- Five groups + two more groups
8- Double, Double, Double
9- Ten groups minus one group
10-Ten times as much, attach 0 for place
value
Division Strategies

Use related multiplication fact

Skip count from 0 or a closer
known fact, how many groups?

Separate amount into that many
groups, how many in each group?