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 repeating 3-digit number by 5,
                   then dividing by 37

  1. Choose a repeating 3-digit number (one whose numbers are all the same).
  2. Add its digits (or multiply one of them by 3).
  3. Multiply by 5.

   Example:

  1. If the first number is 444:
  2. Add its digits (or multiply 4 x 3) = 12.
  3. Multiply 12 x 5 = 60.
  4. So 444 x 5 / 37 = 60.

   See the pattern?

  1. If the first number is 777:
  2. Add 7 + 7 + 7 or multiply 7 x 3 = 21.
  3. Multiply 21 x 5 = 105.
  4. So 777 x 5 / 37 = 105.

Expand this exercise to others of your choosing by multiplying by other numbers. You can produce many new exercises in this manner.


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4 March 1996
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