Multiplication Table Program in C++

Printing a multiplication table is one of the best first programs you can write, because it teaches loops in the most visual way possible. We’ll start with a single table, add user input, make it line up neatly, then build the full grid.

The Simplest Version: One Number’s Table

A multiplication table for 7 is just 7 x 1, 7 x 2, and so on up to 7 x 10. A single for loop handles it perfectly — the loop counter becomes the number we multiply by:

#include <iostream>

int main() {
    int n = 7;
    for (int i = 1; i <= 10; ++i) {
        std::cout << n << " x " << i << " = " << n * i << "\n";
    }
    return 0;
}

Output:

7 x 1 = 7
7 x 2 = 14
...
7 x 10 = 70

Each time through the loop, i climbs by one, and n * i gives the next line. That’s the whole idea.

Letting the User Pick the Number

A hard-coded 7 is boring. Let’s ask the user which table they want with std::cin:

#include <iostream>

int main() {
    int n;
    std::cout << "Enter a number: ";
    std::cin >> n;

    for (int i = 1; i <= 10; ++i) {
        std::cout << n << " x " << i << " = " << n * i << "\n";
    }
    return 0;
}

Now the program works for any number the user types. This tiny change — reading input instead of fixing the value — is what turns a snippet into a real, reusable program.

Making the Output Line Up

Once numbers get into the hundreds, the columns look ragged. The <iomanip> header gives us std::setw, which pads each value to a fixed width so everything aligns:

#include <iostream>
#include <iomanip>

int main() {
    int n = 12;
    for (int i = 1; i <= 10; ++i) {
        std::cout << std::setw(2) << n << " x "
                  << std::setw(2) << i << " = "
                  << std::setw(3) << n * i << "\n";
    }
    return 0;
}

std::setw(3) reserves three character slots for the result, so 24 and 120 still end in the same column. Neat output makes your programs feel polished.

The Full Grid: A Times Table

To print the classic 10x10 times table, you need a loop inside a loop. The outer loop picks the row; the inner loop walks across the columns:

#include <iostream>
#include <iomanip>

int main() {
    for (int row = 1; row <= 10; ++row) {
        for (int col = 1; col <= 10; ++col) {
            std::cout << std::setw(4) << row * col;
        }
        std::cout << "\n";   // move to the next line after each row
    }
    return 0;
}

The inner loop runs completely (all 10 columns) for each step of the outer loop, producing a tidy grid. Notice the "\n" sits outside the inner loop — that’s what ends each row. This nested-loop pattern is the foundation for grids, boards, and tables of every kind.

Recap: What Each Piece Does

• A single for loop prints one number’s table.
• std::cin >> n lets the user choose the number.
• std::setw from <iomanip> aligns the columns.
• A nested loop turns one table into a full grid.

Master this and you’ve genuinely understood loops — the workhorse of every C++ program.

Related Articles

• C++ Loops Tutorial — for, while, and do-while explained
• C++ Nested Loops — patterns and grids in depth
• C++ User Input with cin — reading from the keyboard
• C++ Output Formatting with iomanip — setw, setprecision, and more
• FizzBuzz in C++ — another classic loop exercise

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