History of Mathematics

Chen Ning Xu

[THE ART OF MENTAL

MATH]
Mental math might be recreational for some people, but for the people who appreciate such genius,
it was an art form. The paper discusses the history of mental mathematics and it’s importance in
math education.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

键入章标题(第 1 级) 1

键入章标题(第 2 级) 2

键入章标题(第 3 级) 3

键入章标题(第 1 级) 4

键入章标题(第 2 级) 5

键入章标题(第 3 级) 6
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INTRODUCTION

The invention of the pocket calculators in the 1970s brings about the question whether it

was possible for man to make mental calculation faster than a calculator. To a certain extent,

the answer is yes. There are still some people that were able to calculate the product two three

digit numbers faster than that of another can punch in the number into a calculator. Arthur

Benjamin was such calculating who currently teaches combinatorics at Harvey Mudd College

in Claremount. The stories of mental math prodegies discussed in the paper could be traced

back to the 1800s when six year old kids were able to figure out the method for prime

factorization up to five and six digits.

MENTAL MATH PRODIGIES

It is difficult to talk about mental math without discussing the mental math prodigies who were

capable of great feats.

CALHOUN

Calhoun’s greatest feat would be rather his ability to find a general method for factoring large

numbers number five and six digits.

BUXON

Buxon was rather a moron and a drunk that was capable of measure things to great accuracy.

BIDDER
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Bidder was a British engineer who retained his great mathematical ability

SHAKUNTALA DEVI

Shakuntala Devi was one of the few female calculating prodigy that holds a Guiness World

Record for mentally calculate the product of two thirteen digit number chosen randomly by a

computer in 28 seconds.

ARTHUR BENJAMIN

TRACHTENBERG SYSTEM OF SPEED MATHEMATICS

Trachtenberg was not a mental math prodigy, but rather a Polish mining engineer who

developed specific mental math techniques in the Nazi concentration camp.

MENTAL MATH TECHNIQUES

ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION

Mental math prodigies hold little interest in do additon and subtractions as the operation have no short

cuts compare to that of Multiplication. However, there are few technique involved in calculating sums

from left to right.

MUTIPLICATION
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It was argued that some of the mental math prodigies have an extended multiplication table sizing 100

by 100. However, through tests and experiments on the memory abilities of those prodigies, it was

realized that there is no point of memorization if it was easier to just calculate the result.

DIVISION

SQUARE-ROOTS

Square roots was less interesting for the mental math prodigies to focus on as it was not as impressive

to extract square roots.

CUBE ROOTS

Mental math prodigies were interesting in extracting cubic roots because the last digit of the number

uniquely determines the last digit of the root.

PRIME FACTORIZATION

Calhoun was capable of factorizing large numbers up to five and six digits with ease at the age of six.

It was not until three years later at age ten that he was able to formulate his method.

DAY-DATE CALCULATIONS

Day to Date calculations were algorithms of determining the day of the week of a given date. There

was a twin discussed in the text. One of which figured out an algorithm for determining the day of the

week for any given century, while the other was only capable of the current (1800s) century.
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MENTAL MATH AND GENERAL MATH EDUCATION

For the great calculators, it was not their ability to simply multiply or square large numbers

that made them great in the history of mathematics, but it was of their ability to solve great

mathematic problems that were recognized by the few great mathematicians.

CONCLUSION

It was important to enrich young kids with mathematics. Most of the kids were taught only to

count and figured out the algorithm for multiplication by themselves.

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APPENDIX
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TABLES