Quick Mental Math: Tricks for Faster Calculations

Introduction to Mental Math

Mental math refers to the practice of doing arithmetic calculations in your head. It's a valuable skill that can improve your overall mathematical ability and problem-solving speed.

Multiplication Tricks

1. Multiplying by 5

To multiply a number by 5, divide it by 2 and then multiply by 10.

Example:

36 × 5 = (36 ÷ 2) × 10 = 18 × 10 = 180

2. Multiplying by 9

To multiply by 9, multiply by 10 and subtract the original number.

Example:

7 × 9 = (7 × 10) - 7 = 70 - 7 = 63

Addition and Subtraction Tricks

1. Making 10s

When adding, look for numbers that sum to 10 to simplify the calculation.

Example:

8 + 7 + 2 = (8 + 2) + 7 = 10 + 7 = 17

2. Counting Up

When subtracting, count up from the smaller number to the larger number.

Example:

14 - 9 = 14 - 10 + 1 = 5

Conclusion

Mastering mental math tricks and shortcuts can significantly improve your calculation speed and accuracy. Practice these techniques regularly to become more confident and proficient in your mental math abilities.