The Secrets of Mental Math

Course Overview

Learn how to tackle complex mathematical problems right in your head with this engaging course that reveals the secrets behind mental math. Professor Arthur T. Benjamin of Harvey Mudd College guides you through essential techniques to boost your mental arithmetic skills. Whether you’re looking to enhance your daily life or sharpen your competitive edge, this course is for everyone—from corporate executives to high school students.

In 12 dynamic lectures, you will discover invaluable strategies that make mental calculations not only possible but also enjoyable. The course focuses on effective shortcuts and innovative approaches that help you simplify large problems, making math quick and easy to handle.

Video Lectures

1. Math in Your Head! – 34 min
   Dive into fundamental strategies of mental arithmetic and discover shortcuts for multiplication and squares.
2. Mental Addition and Subtraction – 32 min
   Learn how to quickly add and subtract one-, two-, and three-digit numbers mentally.
3. Go Forth and Multiply – 31 min
   Master easy mental multiplication of two-digit and three-digit numbers by one-digit numbers.
4. Divide and Conquer – 34 min
   Explore shortcuts for division and learn how to convert fractions into decimals.
5. The Art of Guesstimation – 35 min
   Develop skills for estimating various arithmetic operations in real-world situations.
6. Mental Math and Paper – 35 min
   Speed up calculations for paper math problems with useful techniques.
7. Intermediate Multiplication – 33 min
   Learn five methods for multiplying two-digit numbers more effectively.
8. The Speed of Vedic Division – 35 min
   Discover Vedic mathematics and its efficient methods for division.
9. Memorizing Numbers – 33 min
   Use a phonetic code to effectively memorize long numbers, including pi.
10. Calendar Calculating – 34 min
    Learn to calculate the day of the week for any date in the past or future.
11. Advanced Multiplication – 34 min
    Tackle larger multiplication problems, including squaring and cubing.
12. Masters of Mental Math – 32 min
    Explore various methods for solving problems and discover the cube root of large perfect cubes.