Secrets of Mental Math

By: Katie Blumenstock

What is Mental Math?

Calculations that are either done mentally or with pencil or paper. They are tricks to solve what looks to be difficult math equations
Committed to memory
Multiplication, Division, or Double facts.

What the practice of Mental Math can do!

Adding Numbers
From 1st Grade, You were always told to add

RIGHT TO LEFT!
THEY WERE WRONG!! Adding from Left to Right is the Simplest and Quickest Way!

Adding Numbers
47
+ 32 (30 + 2)

47 + 32 47 + 30 = 77 + 2 = 79

Multiplying by 9

Multiplying By 11

The Quicker Way

3+2 = 5 352
1. Take the first factor and add the two numbers together. 2. Split the first factor and place the sum of the factor in the middle

Examples 23 x 11 45 x 11 27 x 11

Examples 23 x 11 = 253 45 x 11 = 495 27 x 11 = 297

Theres an Exception to Every Rule

If the sum of the first factor is greater than 10, you simply carry over

(6 + 7 = 13) 1 + 637 737

2-by-1 Multiplication
42 x7

The Quicker Way

42 x7
1st Break up the first factor

(40 + 2) 40 x 7 = 280 2 x 7 = 14
280 + 14 =

2nd Multiply the small multiplication tasks

3rd Add both of the small multiplication tasks together

Examples
87 x 5 38 x 9

Examples
87 x 5
(80 + 7)

38 x 9

(30 + 8)

80 x 5 = 400 7 x 5 = 35 400 + 35 = 435

30 x 9 = 270 8 x 9 = 72 270 + 72 = 342

Overview
There are many more tricks to Mental Math
Figuring out the week of any date in the past

Andriod and IPhone apps Book by Secrets of Mental Math By Arthur Benjamin and Michael Shermer

References
Benjamin, Arthur and Shermer, Michael. Secrets of Mental Math. Lowell House (2006).