Putting It All into Practice 197
the methods every day as you have the need and opportunity. If you
have an opportunity to use one of my methods and forget how it
works, don’t worry about it. Just read the chapter again, practice the
methods by solving the examples as you read them, and make sure
you are ready next time.
Also, it doesn’t hurt to show off what you can do. Tell your friends
you know your tables up to the 20 times table or the 25 times table.
Th en have them call out any combination for you to solve. Th ey can
check your answer with a calculator. Even if you feel you are slow
giving the answer, they will just think this is one combination you
don’t know very well. I think most of your friends would prefer to
think you have memorized the tables than to think you can calculate
the answers in a fl ash. Th en, when you are fi nished, “confess” to your
friends that you don’t have them memorized, you actually worked
them out as they gave them to you. Th ey won’t know whether to
believe you or not! It is a fun way to practice and to learn your
tables—and a fun way to show off your skills.
ADVICE FOR GENIUSES
I have often said that people think you are very intelligent if you
are very good at mathematics. People will treat you diff erently; your
friends, your classmates and your teachers. Everyone will think you
are extra smart. Here is some advice for handling your new status.
First, don’t explain how you do everything. Author Isaac Asimov
tells how he explained how he solved a mathematical problem to
someone serving him in a store. When she heard the explanation
she said scornfully, “Oh, it was just a trick.” He hadn’t used the
method she had been taught at school. It was almost as if he had
cheated.
My methods are not tricks. Sometimes people will introduce me
as someone who teaches math tricks. I never like that. “Tricks” to
brent
(Brent)
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