Secrets of Mental Math

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Arthur Benjamin is both a professor of mathematics and a magician. After wowing the audience with some amazing feats of calculation, he is happy to reveal his secrets. Seemingly impossible problems can often be broken down into more tractable steps and phonetic codes that can be held in memory and processed quickly. Benjamin explores these steps, giving examples of how he is able to multiply large numbers together, or pinpoint the day of the week of any birthday in any year.

While he clearly has an extraordinary gift in the realm of mathematics, Benjamin also considers a lot of his numerical talent (and prodigious talent in general) to be gained through hours of practice. He describes the some practical drills and techniques for left to right calculation. He also explores visual, auditory and mental imagery that can assist in holding and manipulating large numbers in your head. Certain tricks work better for some than others, depending on individual traits and learning styles.