4 ms·
> Memorizing the times table is for suckers We humans are good at pattern recognition but we suck at mental arithmetic involving multiple steps. We are slow an
by misja111 4y ago
> Memorizing the times table is for suckers
We humans are good at pattern recognition but we suck at mental arithmetic involving multiple steps. We are slow and error prone.
Yes memorizing sucks, all schoolkids hate it, but once you have mastered it you have gained a great new skill. Instead of having to waste mental energy on calculations you just remember them and can spend your precious mental resources on higher level calculations.
- IIAOPSW 4y agoYou haven't understood. I'm actually better at multiplying than the average and was ahead of the class. It doesn't matter that I'm doing two addition operations per single digit multiplication, because its very easy to be more than twice as fast at doubling / halving numbers if the only thing you ever care about is doubling and halving numbers. The pain of memorizing the table is wholly unnecessary. Memorizing is for suckers.
- misja111 4y ago> I'm actually better at multiplying than the average and was ahead of the class I bet that most people on this forum were better than average in elementary school, regardless of the method they were using. I also bet that you would have been even better after memorizing. Recalling from memory is almost instantaneous, it is always faster than having some multiple step algorithm.
- IIAOPSW 4y agoWhat did you eat for breakfast yesterday? Was recalling that from memory "almost instantaneous"?
- sy7ar 4y agoRecalling yesterday's breakfast is not the same as multiplication table or some other facts you've memorized. Most people don't memorize their breakfast! edit: as an example, when someone asks "what's your name", do you not recall much faster than what you ate?
- watwut 4y agoI did not memorized it and was deriving it. I was seen as good at math, cause other kids were forgetting and unable to fix situation.