Times Tables · Lesson 1 of 12

1 Times Table

Multiplying by one leaves a number unchanged. One group of any number is just that number, and any number of groups of one is that many ones.

Primary
Updated 14 November 2026

What you will learn

Say and write the answers in the $1$ times table up to $1 \times 12$ .
Use the patterns in the table to check your answers.
Use the table to solve simple word problems.

Before you start: you should know multiplication as equal groups. See Multiplication: Equal Groups and Arrays.

The idea

The $1$ times table lists $1$ multiplied by $1, 2, 3$ and so on up to $12$ . Each answer is the number of objects in that many groups of $1$ .

The whole table

The 12 by 12 multiplication grid with the 1 times table shaded. Read along the shaded row for 1 × 1 up to 1 × 12.

Patterns

Every answer in the table is the number you multiply by: $1 \times 7 = 7$ .
It works both ways. $7 \times 1$ is seven groups of one, which is $7$ again.
So the table is $1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12$ : just counting.

Skip counting

Counting in steps of $1$ gives the answers one after another.

Six jumps of 1 from zero land on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the first six answers in the table.

An array

An array shows the same facts as rows and columns.

4 rows of 1. 4 × 1 = 4. Turn it on its side to see 1 × 4.

Worked examples

Example 1: Seven groups of one

How many is $7 \times 1$ ?

Seven groups with one in each makes $1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1$ .
Count them: $7$ .

Answer: $7$ .

Example 2: One group of twelve

What is $1 \times 12$ ?

One group of twelve is just twelve.

Answer: $12$ .

Example 3: A trick with big numbers

What is $1 \times 250$ ?

One group of $250$ is $250$ .
The rule works for any number.

Answer: $250$ .

Multiplying by one does not change a number, so it is an easy fact to remember. Do not mix it up with zero: any number times zero is zero.

Why it matters

The one times table looks too easy to need a lesson, but the idea behind it, that multiplying by one keeps a number the same, is used constantly. It is why a fraction like $\frac{2}{2}$ can be swapped in without changing a value, and why multiplying by $1$ is the key to equivalent fractions.

Practice

Your turn. Type or choose an answer, then press Check. Getting one wrong is fine, that is what practice is for. You can try as many times as you like.