If math wasn’t your best subject at school or perhaps your feeling a little rusty, then use these easy hacks to help you or your children. These days it’s very easy to use a calculator or go online to find the answers, but that won’t help you to actually learn the methods of finding the answers. These hacks will show you that math doesn’t have to be complicated when you know the little tricks that the teachers didn’t tell you about at school!
Adding or subtracting fractions with the butterfly method: This method is easy once you know how. Write your fractions side by side. Diagonally draw two wings to form an ‘X’, the multiplication sign. Also draw two antennae at the top. Multiply the numbers in each wing and put the answer inside the antenna. Next, draw a body at the bottom and multiple the two lower numbers, placing the answer inside. Add or subtract the numbers in the antennae (depending on whether your sum is add or subtract) and this will give you the top number of your answer. The number in the body section is the bottom number of your answer. Simplify your answer if needed, as seen in the middle example.
This simple hack will tell you which day falls on a specific date anytime and any year!
This shows you how to multiply single digit numbers of 6 through to 9 with your hands.
Convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or the other way around) in your head with these simple sums.
An easier way to learn your 9 times tables!
Percentages will no longer be a problem!
If you find fractions tricky, try this method know as the ‘backward Zorro’. Draw a line from the bottom fraction number to the whole number. In this example, the numbers are 4 and 24. You must work out how many times 4 goes into 24 (6 times). Then draw a line from the whole number to the top fraction number. Take your first answer and multiple it by the top number. So 6 x 3= 18, which is your final answer. Don’t forget to draw your line from the top fraction number up to the answer to form your backward ‘Z’. A great method to help your children.