Speed Math for Kids
eBook - ePub

Speed Math for Kids

The Fast, Fun Way To Do Basic Calculations

  1. English
  2. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  3. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

Speed Math for Kids

The Fast, Fun Way To Do Basic Calculations

About this book

Learn how to easily do quick mental math calculations

Speed Math for Kids is your guide to becoming a math genius--even if you have struggled with math in the past. Believe it or not, you have the ability to perform lightning quick calculations that will astonish your friends, family, and teachers. You'll be able to master your multiplication tables in minutes, and learn basic number facts while doing it. While the other kids in class are still writing down the problems, you can be calling out the answers.

Speed Math for Kids is all about playing with mathematics. This fun-filled book will teach you:

  • How to multiply and divide large numbers in your head
  • What you can do to make addition and subtraction easy
  • Tricks for understanding fractions and decimals
  • How to quickly check answers every time you make a calculation
  • And much more

If you're looking for a foolproof way to do multiplication, division, factoring estimating, and more, Speed Math for Kids is the book for you. With enough practice you'll go straight to the top of the class!

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Information

Publisher
Jossey-Bass
Year
2010
Print ISBN
9780787988630
eBook ISBN
9780470893975
Edition
1
Chapter 1
MULTIPLICATION: GETTING STARTED
How well do you know your multiplication tables? Do you know them up to the 15 or 20 times tables? Do you know how to solve problems like 14 × 16, or even 94 × 97, without a calculator? Using the speed mathematics method, you will be able to solve these types of problems in your head. I am going to show you a fun, fast and easy way to master your tables and basic mathematics in minutes. I’m not going to show you how to do your tables the usual way. The other kids can do that.

Using the speed mathematics method, it doesn’t matter if you forget one of your tables. Why? Because if you don’t know an answer, you can simply do a lightning calculation to get an instant solution. For example, after showing her the speed mathematics methods, I asked eight-year-old Trudy, “What is 14 times 14?” Immediately she replied, “196.”
I asked, “‘You knew that?”
She said, “No, I worked it out while I was saying it.”
Would you like to be able to do this? It may take five or ten minutes of practice before you are fast enough to beat your friends even when they are using a calculator.

WHAT IS MULTIPLICATION?

How would you add the following numbers?
6+6+6+6+6+6+6+6=?
You could keep adding sixes until you get the answer. This takes time and, because there are so many numbers to add, it is easy to make a mistake.

The easy method is to count how many sixes there are to add together, and then use multiplication to get the answer.
How many sixes are there? Count them.
There are eight.
You have to find out what eight sixes added together would make. People often memorize the answers or use a chart, but you are going to learn a very easy method to calculate the answer.
As multiplication, the problem is written like this:
8 × 6 =
This means there are eight sixes to be added. This is easier to write than 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 = .

The solution to this problem is:
8 × 6 = 48

THE SPEED MATHEMATICS METHOD

I am now going to show you the speed mathematics way of working this out. The first step is to draw circles under each of the numbers. The problem now looks like this:
002
We now look at each number and ask, how many more do we need to make 10?

We start with the 8. If we have 8, how many more do we need to make 10?

The answer is 2. Eight plus 2 equals 10. We write 2 in the circle below the 8. Our equation now looks like this:
003
We now go to the 6. How many more to make 10? The answer is 4. We write 4 in the circle below the 6.

This is how the problem looks now:
004
We now take away, or subtract, crossways or diagonally. We either take 2 from 6 or 4 from 8. It doesn’t matter which way we subtract—the answer will be the same, so choose the calculation that looks easier. Two from 6 is 4, or 4 from 8 is 4. Either way the answer is 4. You only take away one time. Write 4 after the equals sign.
005
For the last part of the answer, you “times,” or multiply, the numbers in the circles. What is 2 times 4? Two times 4 means two fours added together. Two fours are 8. Write the 8 as the last part of the answer. The answer is 48.
006
Easy, wasn’t it? This is much easier than repeating your multiplication tables every day until you remember them. And this way, it doesn’t matter if you forget the answer, because you can simply work it out again.

Do you want to try another one? Let’s try 7 times 8. We write the problem and draw circles below the numbers as before:
007
How many more do we need to make 10? With the first number, 7, we need 3, so we write 3 in the circle below the 7. Now go to the 8. How many more to make 10? The answer is 2, so we write 2 in the circle below the 8.

Our problem now looks like this:
008
Now take away crossways. Either take 3 from 8 or 2 from 7. Whichever way we do it, we get the same answer. Seven minus 2 is 5 or 8 minus 3 is 5. Five is our answer either way. Five is the first digit of the answer. You only do this calculation once, so choose the way that looks easier.
The calculation now looks like this:
009
For the final digit of the answer we multiply the numbers in the circles: 3 times 2 (or 2 times 3) is 6. Write the 6 as the second digit of the answer.

Here is the finished calculation:
010
Seven eights are 56.
How would you solve this problem in your head? Take both numbers from 10 to get 3 and 2 in the circles. Take away crossways. Seven minus 2 is 5. We don’t say five, we say, “Fifty ...” Then multiply the numbers in the circles. Three times 2 is 6. We would say, “Fifty ... six.”
With a little practice you will be able to give an instant answer. And, after calculati...

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. PREFACE
  4. Introduction
  5. Chapter 1 - MULTIPLICATION: GETTING STARTED
  6. Chapter 2 - USING A REFERENCE NUMBER
  7. Chapter 3 - NUMBERS ABOVE THE REFERENCE NUMBER
  8. Chapter 4 - MULTIPLYING ABOVE & BELOW THE REFERENCE NUMBER
  9. Chapter 5 - CHECKING YOUR ANSWERS
  10. Chapter 6 - MULTIPLICATION USING ANY REFERENCE NUMBER
  11. Chapter 7 - MULTIPLYING LOWER NUMBERS
  12. Chapter 8 - MULTIPLICATION BY 11
  13. Chapter 9 - MULTIPLYING DECIMALS
  14. Chapter 10 - MULTIPLICATION USING TWO REFERENCE NUMBERS
  15. Chapter 11 - ADDITION
  16. Chapter 12 - SUBTRACTION
  17. Chapter 13 - DIVISION
  18. Chapter 14 - LONG DIVISION BY FACTORS
  19. Chapter 15 - STANDARD LONG DIVISION MADE EASY
  20. Chapter 16 - DIRECT LONG DIVISION
  21. Chapter 17 - CHECKING ANSWERS (DIVISION)
  22. Chapter 18 - FRACTIONS MADE EASY
  23. Chapter 19 - DIRECT MULTIPLICATION
  24. Chapter 20 - PUTTING IT ALL INTO PRACTICE
  25. AFTERWORD
  26. Appendix A - USING THE METHODS IN THE CLASSROOM
  27. Appendix B - WORKING THROUGH A PROBLEM
  28. Appendix C - LEARN THE 13, 14 AND 15 TIMES TABLES
  29. Appendix D - TESTS FOR DIVISIBILITY
  30. Appendix E - KEEPING COUNT
  31. Appendix F - PLUS AND MINUS NUMBERS
  32. Appendix G - PERCENTAGES
  33. Appendix H - HINTS FOR LEARNINGS
  34. Appendix I - ESTIMATING
  35. Appendix J - SQUARING NUMBERS ENDING IN 5
  36. Appendix K
  37. INDEX