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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    Squaring numbers between 800 and 810

  1. Choose a number between 800 and 810.
  2. Square the last two digits:
    _ _ _ _ X X
  3. Multiply the last two digits by 16
    (keep the carry): _ _ X X _ _
  4. Square 8, add the carry: X X _ _ _ _

   Example:

  1. If the number to be squared is 802:
  2. Square the last two digits:
    2 x 2 = 4: _ _ _ _ 0 4
  3. Multiply the last two digits by 16:
    16 x 2 = 32: _ _ 3 2 _ _
  4. Square 8: 6 4 _ _ _ _
  5. So 802 x 802 = 643,204.

   See the pattern?

  1. If the number to be squared is 807:
  2. Square the last two digits:
    7 x 7 = 49: _ _ _ _ 4 9
  3. Multiply the last two digits by 16
    (keep the carry): 16 x 7 = 112: _ _ 1 2 _ _
  4. Square 8, add the carry (1): 6 5 _ _ _ _
  5. So 807 x 807 = 651, 249.


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26 June 2000
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