Japanese Math Trick For Multiplication

This statement is only true if you never seek out to understand why it works.

Japanese math trick for multiplication. I ve seen a bunch of posts floating around social media suggesting that japanese multiplication is a multiplication trick or some sort of magic or voodo trick. 1 and 2 further below. Here is an interesting method to visualize multiplication that reduces it to simple counting. The japanese multiplication method.

Here is an interesting method to visualize multiplication that reduces it to simple counting. Youtuber mindyourdecisions has an excellent explanatory video so to follow along with their example we ll go with 12 x 13. A viral tiktok video shows an old unique way to multiply using sticks. But look in a japanese elementary textbook and multiplication is done the same way as everywhere else.

With times tables and carrying. Whatever the roots. Draw sets of parallel lines representing each digit of the firs. First pick a multiplication problem.

The origins of the multiplication method aren t clear. Of course this trick also works for larger numbers with more digits. This amazing multiplication trick possible has it s origins in japan although i have heard arguements it is a vedic math trick. Japanese multiplication is only a trick if you don t know why it works.

Is the japanese multiplication method helpful. The japanese multiplication method is really just a visual way of representing those four steps. Teach them how to use japanese multiplication method. 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.

It may come from china japan or somewhere else. And the japanese multiplication method. Like many other aspects of japanese math education alternate ways of solving problems are explored with good methods retained poor methods rejected and generalizations made. This visual math trick lets kids use lines and their intersections to see how math works and helps show that math and numbers can be fun.

Here s how the trick works.