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Math Facts Mastery

Math facts that stick, one picture at a time.

Children see what a fact means first, then practice it a little at a time. Every fact comes back just when it is about to be forgotten, until it is known for good.

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How it works

  1. 1

    See it first

    A new fact starts as a picture: apples to count, a ten frame, equal groups, an array or a number line.

  2. 2

    A little at a time

    Ten questions or so: a few new facts, the facts that are due, and one or two known ones for confidence.

  3. 3

    Back at the right time

    A fact answered right on its own waits a little longer each time: 1, 3, 7, 14, 30, then 60 days.

  4. 4

    Known for good

    A fact is fluent after right answers without help on at least two different days. Speed alone never decides.

Try a practice

What would you like to practice?

Pick a level. 10 questions, pictures when you need them. Nothing is saved, and no account is needed.

Spaced review, simply

Each fact moves along seven stepping stones. A right answer on its own, when the fact is due, moves it one stone on. A mistake brings it back to the first stone, and the next practice shows it with a picture again.

  1. Todaynew
  2. 1 daystone 1
  3. 3 daysstone 2
  4. 1 weekstone 3
  5. 2 weeksstone 4
  6. 1 monthstone 5
  7. 2 monthsstone 6

What children practice

  • Adding

    66 facts from 0 + 0 to 10 + 10: within 5, within 10 and within 20, with ten frames and making ten.

    Pre-K to Grade 2

  • Taking away

    121 facts: every subtraction from those sums, learned by thinking of the adding fact it belongs to.

    Pre-K to Grade 2

  • Times tables

    91 facts from 0 × 0 to 12 × 12: the 2s, 5s and 10s first, then 3, 4 and 6, then 7, 8 and 9, then 11 and 12.

    Grade 2 to Grade 4

  • Dividing

    156 facts with divisors 1 to 12, each one met after its multiplication fact: sharing first, then fact families.

    Grade 3 to Grade 4

Tips for parents

  • Little and often

    Three or four short sessions a week beat one long one. Ten questions takes about four minutes.

  • Ask how, not how fast

    "How did you work that out?" Doubles, making ten and skip counting are all good thinking. Speed comes later on its own.

  • One fact, four facts

    When 3 × 7 = 21 is known, ask for 7 × 3, 21 ÷ 7 and 21 ÷ 3. Fact families halve the work.

  • Use real things

    Share snacks into equal plates, set out spoons in rows, count stairs by twos. Pictures in the head start with things in the hand.

  • Mistakes are useful

    A wrong answer just means that fact comes back sooner, with a picture. There is nothing to be cross about.

  • Trust the gaps

    Coming back to a fact after a few days, rather than drilling it ten times today, is what makes it last.

Multiplication tables

The full chart

Grow a fact garden

With a free account, every fact a child practices becomes a plant that grows into a flower as it becomes fluent, and grown-ups see exactly which facts are known, practicing and due.

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