Japanese Math Method

Here is an interesting method to visualize multiplication that reduces it to simple counting.

Japanese math method. Pupils are taught this method in japanese primary schools at a very early age to develop the ability to multiply large numbers. To date it has been carried out as a maths starter to thousands and thousands of maths learners around the world. I m going to tell you how to read each of these equations in japanese. Draw sets of parallel lines representing each digit of the firs.

In the top left corner we have a ten rod multiplied by a ten rod to give 100. In the top right corner we have 5 units multiplied with a ten rod to give 5 ten rods or 5 intersection points to represent 50. The japanese multiplication method is really just a visual way of representing those four steps. Here are the four basic mathematical operations 加減乗除 kagenjojo or かげんじょうじょう in japanese.

Each cluster of intersections corresponds to one of the four smaller products that go into multiplying two numbers for instance the left cluster 3 1 is what gets you the 300 or 3 hundreds. However you never know when you ll need to do quick math and the japanese multiplication method also called multiply by lines can help you figure out the answer simply by counting. The japanese method has proven very popular from the retweets and the feedback i have received from fellow practitioners. Yes i know the problems are really easy but there is a little twist is i m going to give you today.

Notice it is the intersection point of the two ten rods that represents the 100 flat.