The Secrets of Mental Math
Arthur T. Benjamin, Ph.D.
Professor
Arthur T. Benjamin, Ph.D. Download PDF Click on Download Button
Professor of Mathematics
Harvey Mudd College
rofessor Arthur T. Benjamin is a Professor of
Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College. He
graduated from Carnegie Mellon University
in 1983, where he earned a B.S. in Applied
Mathematics with university honors. He received
his Ph.D. in Mathematical Sciences in 1989 from
Johns Hopkins University, where he was supported
by a National Science Foundation graduate fellowship and a Rufus P. Isaacs
fellowship. Since 1989, Professor Benjamin has been a faculty member of
the Mathematics Department at Harvey Mudd College, where he has served
as department chair. He has spent sabbatical visits at Caltech, Brandeis
University, and the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.
Just by watching this course, you will learn all the techniques that are
required to become a fast mental calculator, but if you want to actually
improve your calculating abilities, then just like with any skill, you
need to practice.
The ability to do rapid mental calculation can help students achieve higher scores on
standardized tests and can keep the mind sharp as we age.
Table of Contents
Professor Biography ............................................................................ i
Course Scope .....................................................................................1
Acknowledgments ..............................................................................3
LECTURE 1
Math in Your Head! ............................................................................4
LECTURE 2
Mental Addition and Subtraction ...................................................... 11
LECTURE 3
Go Forth and Multiply ......................................................................21
LECTURE 4
Divide and Conquer .........................................................................30
LECTURE 5
The Art of Guesstimation .................................................................35
LECTURE 6
Mental Math and Paper ...................................................................41
LECTURE 7
Intermediate Multiplication ...............................................................46
and more......................
