Wish I'd known this #quirky way to do your nine times #table at school! #greatforkids #notalotofpeopleknowthat
by Jacky Donovan on 12/17/13
Hold up both hands in front of you with backs of hand towards you.
Imagine the sum is 4 x 9.
You'll do all the counting left to right, as you would if reading.
Starting from the left hand little finger count out 1-2-3-4, finger by finger, to get the first number (4) of the sum and lower this finger (the index finger).
You now have the answer displayed on your hands - starting again from the left hand little finger, count how many fingers are now displayed up to the index finger = 3. Now count how many fingers are left after the lowered the index finger - counting left to right = 6.
So you have your answer = 36.
Try another example!
5 x 9.
Counting 1-2-3-4-5 from the left little finger you lower your left thumb (the 5th digit).
Now count from left to right to get the answer.
How many fingers standing before you get to the thumb = 4.
How many fingers standing after you pass the thumb = 5.
5 x 9 = 45.
Clever eh?!
