BEATCALC:  Beat the Calculator!

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Back to Calculation Tips & Tricks
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From the BEATCALC mailing list:
a weekly service from B. Lee Clay, archived here by the Math Forum.
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   Multiplying a 5-digit number by 9091, then
                  by 11; subtract 1200

  1. Choose a 5-digit number.
  2. Multiply by 9091 and multiply the product by 11.
  3. The second product is a 10-digit number: the original number and a repeat of the digits.
  4. Subtract 1200.

   Example:

  1. If the first number is 34986:
  2. The answer to the two multiplications is 3498634986
  3. Subtract 1200: 3498634986 - 1200 = 3498633786
  4. So 34986 x 9091 x 11 = 3,498,633,786.

   See the pattern?

  1. If the first number is 22854:
  2. The answer to the two multiplications is 2285422854
  3. Subtract 1200: 2285422854 - 1200 = 2285421654
  4. So 22854 x 9091 x 11 = 2,285,421,654.

You can expand this exercise by changing the final step to another calculation: add or subtract a number that is easy to handle. In this way you can create many new exercises.


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25 January 1999
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