Useful Multiplication Hacks for Everyday Math Problems
BY MICHAEL RAMOS
Math problems can easily scare us especially if we don’t know how to solve them. But with patience and persistence, finding a solution is not impossible after all!
Knowledge Channel’s latest show MathDali teaches us that learning and doing Math is not your worst nightmare! In fact, math is truly practical and fun as we watch the adventures of Kuya Robi (hosted by Robi Domingo) and his friends played by Igi Boy Flores, twins Joj and jai Agpangan, and Vic Robinson.
Aside from the interesting facts and zany antics of the characters, what makes the show more exciting are the awesome “math hacks” that can be used in everyday situations! And here are some tricks you’d surely come across watching the show:
Before that! Here’s a vocabulary guide:
Multiplicand – the first number in the multiplication sentence
Multiplier – the second number in the multiplication sentence
Product – the result of multiplying the multiplicand and multiplier
Half then Double Method
Multiplying double digit numbers can drive you nuts, unless you half then double it. In this method, you divide the multiplicand by 2 and double the multiplier.
Multiplication by 11
Doing this math hack may seem like pulling a rabbit out of a hat. But it’s actually a shortcut to multiplying double digit numbers to 11. The steps are pretty simple given that the product will have three digits: just copy the first digit of the multiplicand on the product’s first digit, the last digit of the multiplicand on the product’s last digit, and then add the two digits of the multiplicand to get the product’s middle digit!
Multiplying numbers close to 100
If you’re freaked out with multiplying double-digit numbers, then how about multiplying numbers close to 100? Well, there is a hack to make things less intimidating. Let’s take 96 and 97 as an example. To get the product, subtract the multiplicand to 100 and set aside (let’s call it Andy). Do the same for the multiplier (let’s call it Eyre). Multiply the two digits you’ve set aside earlier and input that as the last digit/s of the product. Then, either subtract Eyre to the multiplicand or subtract Andy to the multiplier to get the first digits of the product.
WATCH: Robi and Igi Boy explain some math hacks!