Some Tips How to Solve Math Problems Faster
Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, calculus.. Do you carry the decimal? What did X and Y do again? And, this business with BEDMAS… what does that even mean?
There is a lot involved when it comes to solving math problems, you need to recall formulas, operations, sequences of numbers. Math is complicated. And, the only way for anyone to ever get better is to practice – and practice often. If you are struggling with learning math, continue reading. We’ve compiled a few tips and tricks to make you an expert when it comes to simple math problems!
Some tips for solving math problem quicker
One of the best ways to quickly solve math problems comes from returning to your early educational days – way back when you were a grade schooler – and recalling some of the handy tips and tricks that your elementary school teacher might have taught you when they were trying to make math fun in order to encourage you to retain the knowledge you were acquiring.
Here is some fast math that you should be able to do without the use of a calculator.
- A simple formula for adding large numbers: Adding large sums together, without the assistance of a calculator, can be tricky. Here is a method to help you simplify the process by making all of the numbers multiples of 10.
Ex. 644 + 238
While it might be difficult to quickly add up 644 + 238 without pulling out your calculator, rounding them up will change that.
644 becomes 650 and 238 is now 240
Add 650 to 240 and you get 890. From here, all you need to do is determine how many numbers you rounded up by in order to get the answer to the original question.
650 – 644 + 6 and 240 – 238 = 2
6 + 2 = 8
890 – 8 = 882
Therefore, 644 + 238 equals 882.
- An easy way to subtract from 1000
When subtracting a large number from 1,000, you will subtract every number except for the final one from 9. The last number will be subtracted from 10.
Ex. 1,000 – 566
First step: 9 – 5 = 4
Second step: 9 – 5 = 9
Third step: 10 – 9 = 4
1,000 – 566 = 444
- A quick way to multiply anything by 5
Whenever you are required to multiply any EVEN number by 5, do the following:
Ex. 5 x 4 =
First step: Take whatever number is being multiplied and divided it in half. In our case, the 4 becomes a 2.
Second step: Add a 0 to the end of the number to find your answer. In our case, this is 20.
5 x 4 = 20
The process for an ODD number is a little bit different.
Ex. 5 x 3 =
First step: Subtract one number from whatever number is being multiplied. In our case, the 3 becomes a 2
Step two: Divide the result in half, and add the number 5 to the end. In our case, the 2 become a 1 and adding a 5 to the end makes it 15.
5 x 3 = 15
- How to quickly determine if a number can be evenly divided:
- If the number ends in a 0, it can evenly be divided by 10
- If the final three digits are evenly divisible by 8 or are 000 they can be divided by 8
- If the number ends in a 0 or a 5, it can evenly be divided by 5
- If a number ends in 00 or is a two digit number it can be divided by 4
- If the number ends in 0,2,4,6,8 it can be divided by 2
- How to easily multiply by 9
Ex. 9 x 3
First step: Subtract 1 from whatever number is being multiplied by 9. In our case, our 3 becomes 2 > the number 2 is the first number in the answer
Second step: Subtract that number from the number 9. In our case, 9 – 2 = 7 > the number 7 is the second number in the answer
9 x 3 =27
A Math Problem Solver with Steps to Make Your Life Easier
There are so many more tips and tricks and guidelines to get math assignment help and succeed. It might be easier to apply the skills you’ve learned to real world situation. For example, perhaps you are at a restaurant and you want to quickly determine how much to tip.
Here is a quick method to help you determine how much of a tip to leave, without having to stare blankly at your bill and count on your fingers.
Hint: You will move the decimal, and then double the number for a tip of 18 to 20%
Using a 20% tip, for comparison sake, let’s assume that your bill before tax is $53.75. To determine how much to tip0:
- Move the decimal to the left one. $53.75 now becomes $5.375
- Round this number to $5.40
- Now, double this number to $10.80 for a 20% tip.
Practical Advice How to Get Better at Math
The only way to get better at math is to practice it. Luckily, we live in a world where we can practice the math skills we learn in school every day in our regular lives. If you want to challenge yourself, you might choose to download practice tests online, or use one of several available online math problem generators.