I tried to do a simple math problem

[lillypaddle]

8 x 113. Took me 3 tries. I like to think that, while my physical self is falling apart, I still have my intellect. Guess not.

Going down ...

[dem4decades]

1. Relax, I can remember my wife's home phone number from 1974 but can't remember her cell number.

Some stuff you don't use just goes by the wayside, the important things you remember. Every phone has a calculator and no one dials a phone anymore.

[lillypaddle]

2. Thanks, I needed that!

[royable]

3. Simple math processes ("tricks"?) I learned as a kid help me.

In my head, I think,

8 x 113 =
8 x (100 + 10 + 3) =
800 + 80 + 24 =
880 + 24 =
904

or alternately, handling the 10's place first,

8 x 113 =
8 x (11 * 10) + 8 * 3 =
88 * 10 + 24 =
88 * 10 + 2 * 10 + 4 =
90 * 10 + 4 =
904

Something like 8 * 98 is easy, since it's 8 * (100 - 2) = 800 - 16 = 784.

But then, I think I was born odd.

[lillypaddle]

4. Must be where I went wrong

I did the old fashioned/ old school 8x3, carry the 2, etc. Your way is how my 8 yr old granddaughter does it. But that must be why god gave us calculators.

[royable]

6. Oh, I learned the old school method in ... old school. That's what I'd do with pen and paper

especially for a more complicated calculation. What I was describing was some mental shortcuts I can take for something that is just difficult enough that I can't do the old school method in my head, but not so difficult that I can't do it in my head at all. I break the problem down into a few chunks that I can keep track of without writing anything down. Now if you'd asked for 438*113, I'd be going for the pen and paper, or a calculator.

[mitch96]

5. no offense and that gave me a brain cramp.... I'm stuck in the old school method.. nt

[angstlessk]

7. git a freeking calculator, ther cheep

spell checks...screw em