Mental Arithmetic & Times Tables

Mental arithmetic is solving maths problems quickly and accurately in your head — without using a calculator, pen, or paper. It is a key skill for 11+ exams and everyday life.

🧠 Mental arithmetic relies on knowing number facts and using clever strategies to work out answers fast:

• Partitioning: Break numbers into easier parts (e.g., 38 + 47 → 30 + 40 and 8 + 7).
• Rounding and Adjusting: Use "near" numbers (e.g., 49 + 32 → think 50 + 32 = 82, then subtract 1 to get 81).
• Number Bonds: Learn key facts like doubles, halves, and complements to 10, 100, or 1000.

✖️ Times tables are one of the most powerful tools for mental maths. They help with multiplication, division, fractions, and ratio.

✅ Quick recall of times tables (up to 12 × 12) makes mental arithmetic much faster and builds confidence in solving harder, multi-step problems.