C++ Multiplication Table Program

Beginner
5 min read
Updated: Oct 2026
2 programs
Live preview
Definition

What Is a Multiplication Table?

A multiplication table for a number n lists products n × 1, n × 2, n × 3, … up to a chosen limit (commonly 10).

Remember
For n = 5 (limit 10):
  5 × 1 = 5
  5 × 2 = 10
  5 × 3 = 15
  …
  5 × 10 = 50

Pattern:
  for i from 1 to limit:
      print n × i = (n * i)
nin × i
515
5210
51050
Approach

How to Print a Multiplication Table in C++

Four clear steps — a simple for loop does the work.

  1. Choose the number n (hard-coded or from input).
  2. Choose the upper limit (often 10).
  3. Loop i from 1 to that limit.
  4. Print each row as n × i = n * i.
MethodIdeaTimeBest for
Fixed 1–10for (i = 1; i <= 10; i++)O(1) rowsClassic beginner demos
Custom limitLoop to a parameter limitO(limit)Flexible / interview follow-ups

Pseudocode

Pseudocode
function PrintTable(n, limit):
    for i from 1 to limit:
        print n, "×", i, "=", n * i
Reference

Cheat Sheet

Keep these facts handy while writing the program.

TopicDetail
Row formulan * i for i = 1..limit
Default limit10 in many textbooks
Loopfor is the clearest choice
Outputcout << n << " × " << i << " = " << (n * i)
Inputcin >> n when asked
Classic check5 × 10 = 50
Try it

Live Preview

Enter a number to print its table from 1 to 10.

Whole numbers from −99 to 99. Rows 1 through 10.

Result
5 × 1 = 5
5 × 2 = 10
5 × 3 = 15
5 × 4 = 20
5 × 5 = 25
5 × 6 = 30
5 × 7 = 35
5 × 8 = 40
5 × 9 = 45
5 × 10 = 50
Trace

Worked Walkthrough — n = 5, limit 5

Each loop step multiplies n by the current i.

Calculation
i = 1 → 5 × 1 = 5
i = 2 → 5 × 2 = 10
i = 3 → 5 × 3 = 15
i = 4 → 5 × 4 = 20
i = 5 → 5 × 5 = 25

Stop when i exceeds the limit
Code

C++ Programs

Start with the classic 1–10 table. Then use a custom limit when the problem asks for more (or fewer) rows.

Example 1 — Fixed 1–10 Table

Print n × 1 through n × 10 with a simple for loop.

C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
    int n = 5;

    for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++)
    {
        cout << n << " × " << i << " = " << (n * i) << endl;
    }
    return 0;
}

How It Works

  1. Set n = 5 (or read it with cin later).
  2. i starts at 1 and runs while i <= 10.
  3. Each iteration prints one row using n * i.
  4. i++ moves to the next multiplier.
  5. After i = 10, the loop stops — ten rows printed.

Example 2 — Custom Limit

Accept n and a row count so the table length is flexible.

C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

void printTable(int n, int limit)
{
    if (limit < 1)
    {
        cout << "Limit must be at least 1." << endl;
        return;
    }

    for (int i = 1; i <= limit; i++)
    {
        cout << n << " × " << i << " = " << (n * i) << endl;
    }
}

int main()
{
    printTable(7, 5);
    return 0;
}

How It Works

  1. Pass both the number n and the upper limit.
  2. Reject limit < 1 so the loop has a sensible range.
  3. The same for pattern prints 1..limit rows.
  4. For printTable(7, 5) you get five lines ending at 7 × 5 = 35.
  5. Change the limit without rewriting the loop body.

Edge Cases & Pitfalls

Check these before calling the solution done.

Limit ≤ 0

No rows

Validate the upper bound before looping.

n = 0

All zeros

Every product is 0 — still a valid table.

Off-by-one

Use <= limit

i < 10 stops at 9 and misses the last row.

Input

Check cin

Confirm the read succeeded if you take n from the keyboard.

Analysis

Time and Space Complexity

ProgramTimeExtra space
Fixed 1–10O(1) (10 rows)O(1)
Custom limitO(limit)O(1)

Work grows with the number of rows printed. No extra arrays are required.

Remember

Key Takeaways

  • Pattern: loop i and print n * i.
  • Default: many problems use limit 10.
  • Flexible: pass a custom limit when needed.
  • Test: 5 × 10 = 50 is the last row of the classic table.

One line: for each i from 1 to limit, print n × i = n * i.

Frequently Asked Questions

For a number n, it is the list of products n×1, n×2, n×3, … up to a chosen limit (often 10).
A loop prints every row automatically. Writing each line by hand does not scale when the limit changes.
Beginner programs often print 1 through 10. Interviews may ask for a custom upper limit.
Yes mathematically. Products still work (for example 0×5 = 0, (−3)×4 = −12). Validate only if your problem requires positive n.
Printing k rows takes O(k) time and O(1) extra space.

Next: Natural Number

Check whether an integer is a natural number.

Natural number tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P
Mari Selvan M P 🔗

Developer, cloud engineer, and technical writer

  • Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
  • Focus Full Stack Development, AWS, and Developer Education

I write practical tutorials so students and working developers can learn by doing—from databases and APIs to deployment on AWS.

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