Math, Memory and Multiplication (Pt. 1)

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Have you ever heard of Hintikka’s Paradox? In a nutshell, it’s about, “Is it immoral to ask someone to do something that can’t be done?”

It’s so easy to say, “Just memorize it.” That’s the cry of people who want you to learn your “math facts.”

But do they ever teach a child how to memorize? How cruel to would it be to grade a kid on his reading ability if you never taught him how to read?

That’s the paradox of the memorization problem. Not every child even knows how to memorize.

There are lots of solutions, but I’ve never seen any good ones on math sites, or ever heard of teachers really using any. Let’s think about our part of helping out before we prescribe solutions we don’t provide.

Personally, I think rote memory is one rotten way to learn. Learning mnemonics is so much more fun, creative and effective. I don’t mean silly mnemonics that are taught in some of the baby-style trendy math methods that are out there. I mean a concerted effort to learn serious memory techniques. My favorite book to learn memory from is “How to Develop a Super Power Memory,” by Harry Lorayne. He’s written more since then, but despite its hokey title, it is the most straightforward of all the books I’ve read.

One solution for learning multiplication without rote memory is the method taught in my booklet “Numbers Juggling - Times Without the Tables.” the link for it is on the top of the right-hand column of this blog. I think this is the best solution for anyone who is dissappointed with the traditional “just shut up and memorize it” method.

Make sense?

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