Up to 9 by 9 multiplication through fingers.
By jhustinian
@jhustinian (612)
Philippines
June 3, 2012 3:43am CST
Hi there! I just remembered this technique when my sister asked me to compute something when she's calculating her purchases. And then our conversation had went to this multiplication thingy through my own fingers. She told me that she had learned this because their elementary teacher had taught them how to use this technique. I for one, had never been taught this technique in school although my mother mentioned that technique to me in grade school, I've never practiced that because we were required to memorize the multiplication table when I was in 2nd grade. My sister told me that it has it's disadvantage, because unlike me, she hadn't memorized the table very well because of that finger techniques.
She had taught me how to use it just recently, and although I'm in college and doesn't really need it, I think it's really cool and I even in awe, the one who discovered it is just really awesome. You really can get the right answers through it (only from 1x1 to 9x9).
How about you do you know how to use it? Have you been taught in school about this technique? Or are you even aware that this technique exists?
2 responses
@lady1993 (27224)
• Philippines
4 Jun 12
I don't think we have been taught in school abut this, but my friends use it before.. they taught me , but i just forgot.. i actually only learned the 9X9 hand technique from a book. 
I don't need it anymore though, since i've memorized all of them from 1-10.
I don't need it anymore though, since i've memorized all of them from 1-10.@jhustinian (612)
• Philippines
9 Jun 12
Me too...My teachers didn't even mentioned anything regarding this dexterous technique. XD I've memorized them too, it's a requirement when I was in Grade 2 so the pupils could go home early. LOL! Teachers and their strategies, hm.
Maybe they just want us to memorize them and not teach us shortcuts since we may get used to it.
@jhustinian (612)
• Philippines
9 Jun 12
I'm sorry for the late reply, I wasn't able to be online in the past few days because of other matters. Anyway, I don't know if I can explain it well so if you like you could look it in the internet too, but I'll try my best now. ^^
I just realized that we could only use the technique from 6 to 9, so I was wrong about what I've mentioned about 1x1 to 9x9. So let's move on...
First, just put your hands out with your palms facing you. The index finger represents 9, middle finger as 8, ring finger as 7 and our pinky is 6, as factors.
This technique actually involves addition as well. When explained through words, the strategy seems complicated but if is ever demonstrated to you personally you would think it's not that hard.
So, let's try multiplying 8 x 6.
In our left hand, we'll have our middle finger down to our pinky to represent 8, then touch/connect our right hand's pinky, which is 6, to our middle finger. Now, the fingers above that isn't involve would be factors, while the connected fingers would be addends. Multiply the 2 fingers in our left hand with the 4 fingers in our right had and you'll get 8. Then, add the fingers below and you'll get 4. The latter (4) would be the tenths and the former (8) would be the ones, so we'll get 48.
Now that's just puzzling even to myself, so I just made a little illustration. Just hit the link, I made it myself, it's not much but I hope it'll help. http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo354/aresceline/multiplication.jpg
If you still can't understand you better look for youtube videos or some directions in the internet. I'm just really good in explaining things, especially anything involving Math. LOL! XD
