Secrets of Mental Math Secrets of Mental Math

T T
Arthur T.
e Benjamin Arthur T.
e Benjamin
x x
Harvey Mudd
t College Harvey Mudd
t College

Insight Cruises Multiplication and Squaring

October 30, 2015

Squaring numbers
16 50
1

132 160 492 2400

3
+9 32 + 1
169 2401
10 48
 60 100
2

552 3000 982 9600

5
+ 25 + 4
3025 9604
50 96

100 Proof by pattern

Why does this method work?
Numbers that add up to 20
2
10 + 10 = 20
982 9600 9 + 11 = 20
+ 4
9604 8 + 12 = 20
96 7 + 13 = 20
Algebra: A2 = (A + d)(A - d) + d2 6 + 14 = 20
Example: 982 = (98 + 2)(98 - 2) + 22 5 + 15 = 20
= (100)(96) + 4 How large can the product get?
 Numbers that add up to 20 Numbers that add up to 20
10 x 10 = 100 10 x 10 = 100
9 x 11 = 99 (down 1) 9 x 11 = 99 (down 12)
8 x 12 = 96 (down 4) 8 x 12 = 96 (down 4)
7 x 13 = 91 (down 9) 7 x 13 = 91 (down 9)
6 x 14 = 84 (down 16) 6 x 14 = 84 (down 16)
5 x 15 = 75 (down 25) 5 x 15 = 75 (down 25)
How large can the product get? How large can the product get?

Numbers that add up to 20 Numbers that add up to 20

10 x 10 = 100 10 x 10 = 100
9 x 11 = 99 (down 12) 9 x 11 = 99 (down 12)
8 x 12 = 96 (down 22) 8 x 12 = 96 (down 22)
7 x 13 = 91 (down 9) 7 x 13 = 91 (down 32)
6 x 14 = 84 (down 16) 6 x 14 = 84 (down 16)
5 x 15 = 75 (down 25) 5 x 15 = 75 (down 25)
How large can the product get? How large can the product get?
 Numbers that add up to 20 Numbers that add up to 20
10 x 10 = 100 10 x 10 = 100
9 x 11 = 99 (down 12) 9 x 11 = 99 (down 1 2)
8 x 12 = 96 (down 22) 8 x 12 = 96 (down 2 2)
7 x 13 = 91 (down 32) 7 x 13 = 91 (down 3 2)
6 x 14 = 84 (down 42) 6 x 14 = 84 (down 4 2)
5 x 15 = 75 (down 25) 5 x 15 = 75 (down 5 2)
How large can the product get? How large can the product get?

Numbers that add up to 26

13 x 13 = 169 13 x 13 = 169
12 x 14 = 168 (down 1) 12 x 14 = 168 (down 12)
11 x 15 = 165 (down 4) 11 x 15 = 165 (down 22)
10 x 16 = 160 (down 9) 10 x 16 = 160 (down 32)
9 x 17 = 153 (down 16)
8 x 18 = 144 (down 25) 13 x 13 = 10 x 16 + 32
How large can the product get?
 The most important idea for
116 doing mental math:
T
Left to
e Right
1082 11600 x

8
+ 64 t

11664
100

Addition Example Subtraction Example

314 414 464 314 314 114
+ 159 + 59
T
e
+ 9 – 159 – 200
T
e
+ 41
x
t
473 114
x
t
155
Oversubtract
Add back complement
 Subtraction Example Multiplication and Division
1234 1234 634 Orders of magnitude
– 567 – 600T
e
+ 33 (8 digits) x (5
T
digits)
e = ?? or ?? digits
634
x
t
667 x
t
(8 digits) ÷ (5 digits) = ?? or ?? digits
Oversubtract
Add back complement

Multiplication and Division Multiplication and Division

Orders of magnitude Orders of magnitude
T T
(8 digits) x (5 digits)
e = 12 or 13 digits (8 digits) x (5 digits)
e = 12 or 13 digits
x x
t t
(8 digits) ÷ (5 digits) = ?? or ?? digits (8 digits) ÷ (5 digits) = 3 or 4 digits
 Multiplication and Division Multiplication and Division
Orders of magnitude Orders of magnitude
T T
(m digits) x (n digits) e= m+n or m+n -1 digits (m digits) x (n digits) e= m+n or m+n -1 digits
x x
t t
(m digits) ÷ (n digits) = m-n or m-n +1 digits Which one? Multiply leading digits
If product ≥ 10, then m+n digits
If product ≤ 4, then m+n -1 digits
If 5 ≤ product ≤ 9, then look more closely

T
(m digits) x (n digits) e= m+n or m+n -1 digits Aside
x
t
Which one? Multiply leading digits What’s more probable? m+n or m+n-1?
If product ≥ 10, then m+n digits If digits are chosen at random (uniformly)
If product ≤ 4, then m+n -1 digits then m+n digits is much more probable.
If 5 ≤ product ≤ 9, then look more closely But real data isn’t always uniform
Mathematical Aside Think of your home address
How many have leading digit 1, 2, or 3?
What’s more probable? m+n or m+n-1?
How many have leading digit 7, 8, or 9?
If digits are chosen at random (uniformly)
then m+n digits is much more probable.
Many data sets (populations, addresses, Benford’s Law
stock prices, lengths of rivers, etc.) follow
P(Leading digit = d) = log(d+1) – log(d) 

Benford’s Law
P(Leading digit = d) = log(d+1) – log(d) 
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
40

30
Probability

30.1 17.6 12.5 9.7 7.9 6.7 5.8 5.1 4.6

20

10
p1 + p2 + p3 = 60.2%; p7 + p8 + p9 = 15.5%
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Leading Digit

T T
(m digits) x (n digits) e= m+n or m+n -1 digits (m digits) x (n digits) e= m+n or m+n -1 digits
x x
t t
Which one? Multiply leading digits Which one? Multiply leading digits
If product ≥ 10, then m+n digits If product ≥ 10, then m+n digits
If product ≤ 4, then m+n -1 digits If product ≤ 4, then m+n -1 digits
If 5 ≤ product ≤ 9, then look more closely If 5 ≤ product ≤ 9, then look more closely
Mathematical Aside Mathematical Aside

What’s more probable? m+n or m+n-1? What’s more probable? m+n or m+n-1?
If digits are chosen by Benford’s Law, then If digits are chosen by Benford’s Law, then
the probability of m+n digits is ?????????? the probability of m+n digits is exactly 1/2.
 T
FundamentalsTof multiplication e
Fundamentals of multiplication
x
e
2-by-1 multiplication
x 624
3-by-1 multiplication t
t
x 6
42 78 6 x 600 = 3600
x 7 x 8 6 x 20 = +120
7 x 40 = 280 8 x 70 = 560 3720
7 x 2 = +14 8 x 8 = +64 6 x 4 = + 24
294 624 3744

2-by-2 multiplication Addition Method

✦ Addition Method 47
✦ Subtraction Method x 31 31 = 30 + 1

✦ Factoring Method 30 x 47 = 1410

✦ Close Together Method 1 x 47 = + 47
1457
Subtraction Method Subtraction Method
47 47 47 = 50 - 3
x 78 78 = 80 - 2 x 78
80 x 47 = 3760 50 x 78 = 3900
-2 x 47 = – 94 -3 x 78 = –234
3666 3666

Factoring Method Close Together Method

48 48 = 8 x 6
x 78
8 x 78 = 624
x 6
3744
Multiplying numbers near 100 Multiplying numbers near 100

107 (7) 103 (3)

x 111 (11) x 106 (6)
118 77 109 18
Cool!
Why?
Algebra!

107 (7) Multiplying numbers near 100

x 111 (11)
118 77 96 (-4)
(z+a)(z+b) = z2 + za + zb + ab x 97 (-3)
= z(z + a + b) + ab 93 12
Example: z = 100, a = 7, b =11 z + a = 107
(107)(100+11) = 100(107 + 11) + (7)(11)
107 x 111 = 100 x 118 + 77
Multiplying numbers near 100 Multiplying numbers near 100

107 (7) 107 (7)

x 97 (-3) x 97 (-3)
104 -21 104 -21

Multiplying numbers near 100 Multiplying numbers near 40

107 (7) 43
x 97 (-3) x 48
104 00
-21
103 79
 Addition Method Subtraction Method
43 43 = 40 + 3 43
x 48 x 48 48 = 50 - 2

40 x 48 = 1920 50 x 43 = 2150
3 x 48 = +144 -2 x 43 = – 86
2064 2064

Factoring Method Close Together Method

43 43 (3)
x 48 48 = 6 X 8 x 48 (8)
43 x 6 = 258 40 x 51 = 2040
x 8 3 x 8 = + 24
2064 2064
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 3-Digit Square 3-Digit Square
328 800
47

3142 98400 7532

14
+ 196
98596
300 706

3-Digit Square Calendar Calculations

800
47

7532 564800
+ 2209
567009
706
 Sunday Sunday
Jeudi/Jueves Thor

Moon-day Moon-day

Vendredi/Viernes Freya
Mardi/Martes Tiw

Mercredi/Miércoles Saturn-day Woden Saturn-day

Sunday Calendar Calculations

Thor’s day
2015 M T W Th F Sat Sun
Moon-day 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7or 0

Freya’s day Jan Apr Jul Oct

Tiw’s day
Feb May Aug Nov

Mar Jun Sep Dec

Woden’s day Saturn-day
 Calendar Calculations Mnemonics for Month Codes
2015 M T W Th F Sat Sun Jan = 6: W-I-N-T-E-R July = 5: 5erworks!
4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7or 0
Feb = 2: 2nd month Aug = 1: begins with A

Jan 6* Apr 5 Jul 5 Oct 6 Mar = 2: March 2 the beat Sep = 4: F-A-L-L

Feb 2* May 0 Aug 1 Nov 2 Apr = 5: F-O-O-L-S Oct = 6: T-R-I-C-K-S

Mar 2 Jun 3 Sep 4 Dec 4 May = 0: Hold the May0 Nov = 2: 2rkey!

June = 3: B-U-G Dec = 4: L-A-S-T

* For leap years, Jan = 5 and Feb = 1

2015 M T W Th F Sat Sun 2015 M T W Th F Sat Sun

4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7or 0 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7or 0
Jan 6* Apr 5 Jul 5 Oct 6 Jan 6* Apr 5 Jul 5 Oct 6

Feb 2* May 0 Aug 1 Nov 2 Feb 2* May 0 Aug 1 Nov 2

Mar 2 Jun 3 Sep 4 Dec 4 Mar 2 Jun 3 Sep 4 Dec 4

* For leap years, Jan = 5 and Feb = 1 * For leap years, Jan = 5 and Feb = 1

October 30, 2015 subtract 7, 14, 21, 28, 35… December 25, 2015 subtract 7, 14, 21, 28,…
6 + 30 + 4 = 40 – 35 = 5 (mod 7) 4 + 25 + 4 = 33 – 28 = 5 (mod 7)
= Friday = Friday
2015 2016* 2017 2018 2019 2020* 2015 2016* 2017 2018 2019 2020*
4 6 7≡0 1 2 4 4 6 7≡0 1 2 4
Jan 6* Apr 5 Jul 5 Oct 6 Deriving the year code
Feb 2* May 0 Aug 1 Nov 2
Given: 2000* has year code 0.
Mar 2 Jun 3 Sep 4 Dec 4
In 2015 the calendar has shifted 15
* For leap years, Jan = 5 and Feb = 1 times, including 3 shifts for leap
years (2004*, 2008*, 2012*) so the
What about next year?
year code should be:
15 + 3 ≡ 18 – 14 = 4.

Other useful or interesting facts Deriving month codes

1600* 1700 1800 1900 2000*
Jan 6* Apr 5 Jul 5 Oct 6
0 5 3 1 0
Feb 2* May 0 Aug 1 Nov 2
Gregorian calendar cycles every 400 years.
Mar 2 Jun 3 Sep 4 Dec 4
Between 1901 and 2099, it cycles every 28 years.
* For leap years, Jan = 5 and Feb = 1
January 1, 2001 was a Monday.
In a non-leap year, February has 28 days, so
Shakespeare and Cervantes both died on April 23, March will have the same month code.
1616 — yet they died 10 days apart!
Since March has 31 = 28 + 3 days, April’s month
code will be 3 days later.
 Phonetic code (major system)
1 = t or d 6 = ch, sh, or j

Large 2=n 7 = k or (hard) g

calculations require mnemonics
3=m 8 = f or v

4=r 9 = p or b

5=L 0 = s or z

Digits of Pi Digits of Pi π
mt r m t r t l pnch l mlv pkp mn mvr jnjr
π ≈ 3.14159265358979323846264… 3.1415 926 5358 979 32 384 6264…
motor My turtle Pancho will, my love,
meter pickup my new mover Ginger!
meteor
metro
matter
Mudder
 Digits of Pi
m t r t l pnj l mlv pkp mn mvr jnjr
π ≈ 3.1415 9265358 979 32 3846264
m mv mnk pls n fvrt bkt
3 38 327 950 2 8841 971
My movie monkey plays in a favorite bucket!
shp m pp mkl t slvns bkrbr
69 3 99 375 1 05820 97494…
Ship my puppy Michael to Sullivan’s back rubber!
100 Digits of Pi
π ≈ 3.1415 9265358 979 32 3846264
3 38 327 950 2 8841 971
69 3 99 375 1 05820 97494
45 92 307 81 640 62 8 620
A really open music video cheers Jenny F. Jones.
8 99 86 28 0 3482 5 3421 1 70 67…
Have a baby fish-knife, so Marvin will marinate the
goose-chick!

4-Digit Square
2716
“Roman”
Large r mn
calculations require mnemonics 23582 5,432,000
358

2000 “5 million…”
 3-Digit Square 4-Digit Square
400 2716
“Roman”
42 r mn
3582 126,400 23582 5,432,000
+ 1,764 358 + 128,“teacher”
316 128,164 2000 560, 164
t ch r
“teacher”

5-Digit Square
1 = t or d 6 = ch, sh, or j

2=n 7 = k or (hard) g
Thank you!
3=m 8 = f or v

4=r 9 = p or b

5=L 0 = s or z