📚 Mental Math Tricks
Learn cool shortcuts to solve math in your head — fast!
Chapter 1: Addition Tricks
- Make Tens — Round up to 10, then adjust. Example: 47 + 38 = 47 + 3 + 35 = 85
- Group Numbers — Add the big numbers first, then the small ones
- Base Number — Pick a round number nearby. Example: 298 + 305 ≈ 300 + 300 + 3
Chapter 2: Subtraction Tricks
- Round & Fix — Subtract a round number, then add back. Example: 503 − 297 = 503 − 300 + 3 = 206
- Same Endings — When the last digits match, subtract them first
- Chain Subtract — a − b − c = a − (b + c). Example: 1000 − 234 − 166 = 1000 − 400
Chapter 3: Multiplication Shortcuts
- Multiply by 11 — For two digits: add the digits in the middle. Example: 36 × 11 = 396
- Multiply by 5 — Times 10, then divide by 2. Example: 48 × 5 = 480 ÷ 2 = 240
- Multiply by 25 — Times 100, then divide by 4. Example: 36 × 25 = 3600 ÷ 4 = 900
- Heads Match, Tails Add to 10 — Example: 43 × 47 = 2021
Chapter 4: Division Tips
- Estimate First — Use times tables to guess the answer quickly
- Scale Up & Down — Multiply both numbers by the same amount to make it easier
- Check Your Work — Multiply your answer back to see if it makes sense
Chapter 5: Practice & Tips
- Practice 10 minutes a day — small steps add up!
- Learn the trick first, then go for speed
- Play Max Math to use what you learned
- Write down tricky problems and review them later