Nine Times Tables, on your hands
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
No, don't grab a calculator. Relax, put your feet up, and remember this story:
Once upon a time there were a group of street urchins messing around on the roadside generally enjoying the satisfaction of watching passing vehicles destroy pieces of fruit that had been left in the road expressly for their timely demise. The fruits that is.
I was one of these urchins, and another was a friend named Dean. We were talking about how rubbish school was and how we wanted more Scalextrx. I was having trouble with my nine times tables and he said "Do you know the finger method?" being only 8 at the time I, of course replied in the negative. In a typical Derbyshire drawl said "I'll learn it ya".
It goes a little like this:
Hold both hands in front of you.
For 3 times nine, lower the third finger* on your left hand.
Count the number of fingers to the left of the finger you've lowered. Most people will get two.
Then count the number to the right of the lowered finger. Seven is the number you should get.
A 2 and a 7 or: 27 = 3 x 9
QED ;-)
* For the purpose of this definition Fingers should be read as Digits and therefore include the thumbs.
Once upon a time there were a group of street urchins messing around on the roadside generally enjoying the satisfaction of watching passing vehicles destroy pieces of fruit that had been left in the road expressly for their timely demise. The fruits that is.
I was one of these urchins, and another was a friend named Dean. We were talking about how rubbish school was and how we wanted more Scalextrx. I was having trouble with my nine times tables and he said "Do you know the finger method?" being only 8 at the time I, of course replied in the negative. In a typical Derbyshire drawl said "I'll learn it ya".
It goes a little like this:
Hold both hands in front of you.
For 3 times nine, lower the third finger* on your left hand.
Count the number of fingers to the left of the finger you've lowered. Most people will get two.
Then count the number to the right of the lowered finger. Seven is the number you should get.
A 2 and a 7 or: 27 = 3 x 9
QED ;-)
* For the purpose of this definition Fingers should be read as Digits and therefore include the thumbs.
