Quick Calculations

Quick Calculations: Mental Arithmetic

There are several methods whereby the Mentalist can
render an impressive demonstration of his ability by a show
of rapid calculations. The business of mentally squaring or
cubing a number or e!tracting the square or cube root can
cause quite a stir amidst intelligent people.
(1) Squaring
"ince it is very easy to square small numbers in the
head we shall not bother to deal with anything under
twenty#five. Most people having to square say $%#could do
so with little trouble. &owever dealing with numbers from
twenty#five and up to a hundred 'which is more than
enough(:#
For numbers from 25 to 50. )irst take the difference
between the number and *% for the hundreds and square the
difference between the number and %+ for the tens and
units. As for e!ample to square ,-:#
The difference between *% and ,- is $.. The number $.
gives the first two numbers of the answer.
The difference between %+ and ,- is $$. /hich when
squared gives $*$:# To $*$ we add $.++ from the first
step and the answer $%*$ equals ,- squared.
For numbers from 50 to 100. )irst take twice the
difference between the number given and %+ for the hundreds
and then square the difference between the given number and
$++ for the tens and units.
1
Quick Calculations
(1.1) Squaring - Alternative Method
"ay you need to square the number ., for whatever reason.
0ou are lost and alone1 your calculator2s battery died and
you have no idea how to use a slide rule. 0ou don2t have
time to multiply it out and want an immediate answer.
/hat do you do3
"tep $:
"quare each digit and place the answers side#by#side.
.
2
4 $5
,
2
4 - #####6 $5+-
777777777777777
"tep *:
Multiply the digits of the number being squared.
. ! , 4 $*
777777777777777
"tep ,:
8ouble the answer from step * and add a 9ero to the end
'Multiply by $+(.
$* ! * 4 *. ###6 *.+ 4 '*. ! $+(
777777777777777
"tep .: Add the results of step $ and step ,.
$5+- : *.+ 4 $;.-
.,
2
4 $;.-

2
Quick Calculations
(2) Extraction of Square Roots
The performer must first memori9e the following table
which shows the square of the digits one to nine:##

8igit $ * , . % 5 < ; -
"quare $ . - $5 *% ,5 .- 5. ;$

"uppose we are asked to e!tract the square root of the
number ,$,5.
)irst we consider only the two starting figures1 the number
nearest to ,$ in the table above is *%# it must be more
than *% but no greater than ,5. The table shows that *% is
represented by %.
&ence % will be the first figure of the square root of
,$,5. The last digit of this number is 5. There are two
squares terminating with 5 in the above table and the
number opposite them is one that will end the answer.
&owever we must be able to tell which of the si!es to use
since one represents 5 and the other represents ..
Take the answer to the first step#which was % multiply it
by itself giving *% deduct this from the first two figures
in the original number ',$( and si! remains.
This figure si! is larger than the one we have multiplied
'%( so select from the above table the larger of the two
numbers terminating with si!.
The figure opposite gives the second number in the root1
the root of ,$,5 is %5.
3
Quick Calculations
(3) u!ing
To find the cube of any two figure number you must
first know or work out the cube of the units from one to
nine. =t will pay you to learn these because they can be
used for other calculating effects shown later:##
8igit $ * , . % 5 < ; -
Cube $ ; *< 5. $*% *$5 ,., %$* <*-
"uppose now you are requested to find the cube of the
number 5*.
Cube the first figure#5 and put it down in thousands to
the left of the cube of *. That is of si! *$5 and of two
; which equals *$5++;. To this add the product of:##
5* ! 5 ! * ! ,. i.e. 5* ! ,5 equals *,**.
>lace this under the first number moving the units figure
one step to the left and add the two lines together.
5*. *$5++;
**,*+ '5* ! 5 ! * ! , 4 **,*(
777777777
**;,*; equals 5* cubed.
4
Quick Calculations
(") Extraction of u!e Roots
?f the various calculating systems given so far this
is probably the most effective and oddly enough the
easiest. The table shown for cubing numbers is used and it
can be made to reveal the cube root of any cubed number
from one to one#hundred. )or higher numbers the e!traction
of cube roots of numbers resulting in more than a hundred
it is only necessary to add noughts to the cubes
accordingly.
Ask someone to work out the cube of any two#digit
number under one hundred. "uppose their answer came to
;+.,%<. To find the number cubed is very simple:##
@efer to the table for Cubing. The first three figures
are ;+.#greater than <*- the highest possible number. <*-
represents the unit - so this will be the first figure in
the number. Ae!t take the last number in the total given by
the spectator#<. )ind the cube which ends with seven in the
table it is *<##represented by three## so , will be the
last figure of the answer. Therefore the root of ;+.,%< is
-,.
This is essentially the same method used for e!tracting
square roots. The only difference is that all of the
perfect cubes from $#- all end in a different digit
removing the need to determine which digit you will need to
use.
5
Quick Calculations
>ractice:
$( .<
2
4 777777777 *( ,.
2
4 777777777
,( -%
2
4 777777777 .( *-
2
4 777777777
%( ;,
2
4 777777777 5( 5*
2
4 777777777
<( --
2
4 777777777 ;( 5-
2
4 777777777
###########################################################
-( 1089 4 777777777 $+( 2601 4 777777777
$$( 8281 4 777777777 $*( 2401 4 777777777
$,( 529 4 777777777 $.( 1024 4 777777777
###########################################################
$%( 5,
3
4 777777777 $5( .,
3
4
777777777
$<( ,;
3
4 777777777 $;( <*
3
4
777777777
$-( %$
3
4 777777777 *+( ..
3
4
777777777
###########################################################
*$(
3
29791
4 777777777 **(
3
140608
4 777777777
*,(
3
456533
4 777777777 *.(
3
830584
4 777777777
*%(
3
32768
4 777777777 *5(
3
205379
4 777777777
6
Quick Calculations
"olutions:
$( **+-
*( $$%5
,( -+*%
.( ;.$
%( 5;;-
5( ,;..
<( -;+$
;( .<5$
-( ,,
$+( %$
$$( -$
$*( .-
$,( *,
$.( ,*
$%( *%++.<
$5( <-%+<
$<( %.;<*
$;( ,<,*.;
$-( $,*5%$
*+( ;%$;.
*$( ,$
**( %*
*,( <<
*.( -.
*%( ,*
*5( %-
7