Math tricks: 5 useful tricks to help your child learn math

If your child is struggling with math, they may need some math tricks to give them a helping hand! Math can be complex – there’s no other way around it. It involves a lot of numbers, both big and small, with numerous math symbols and formulas to go with it. It’s natural for children to be overwhelmed when there’s a lot of information to digest. But, that doesn’t mean it’s hopeless for them to learn! These days, there are a lot of math tricks available that can help children solve math problems faster and easier. They come in all shapes and sizes and even have various names! Math magic tricks, math tricks book, math calculation tricks, math tips and tricks – you name it. Although they share various names, not all of them are useful for everyday math problems. Some are just for fun, while others can only be used once. If you want your child to learn math easier, then be sure to give useful math tricks that can help them throughout school.  In this article, we’ll go through five simple, easy, yet very useful math tricks that children can use to help them tackle all levels of math!

Math Trick #1 – Remember the Rule of Nines!

One simple math trick is to use the “rule of nines” when multiplying the number 9! As children learn multiplication, they’ll need to memorize the multiplication table of numbers 1 to 10. While these may seem like a hassle, they can relax when it comes to the number 9, because there’s a secret to it! Let’s look at the number 9 multiplication table and pay close attention to the answers.

• 1 x 9 = 09
• 2 x 9 = 18
• 3 x 9 = 27
• 4 x 9 = 36
• 5 x 9 = 45
• 6 x 9 = 54
• 7 x 9 = 63
• 8 x 9 = 72
• 9 x 9 = 81
• 10 x 9 = 90

As you can see, the answers have a unique pattern. When you multiply the number 9 with numbers from 1 to 10, the answer’s first digit increases while the second digit decreases. You can also get the answer if you subtract the number multiplied by 9 with 1 to get the first digit and subtract it with 10 for the second digit! For example, here’s how you can find the answer of 5 x 9:

• First, subtract the number 5 with 1 for the answer’s first digit
  • 5 – 1 = 4
• Then, subtract the number 5 with 10 for the answer’s second digit
  • 10 – 5 = 5
• Finally, combine them and you get the answer to 5 x 9, which is 45!

With the rule of nines, children will love multiplying the number 9!

Math Trick #2 – Comparing 2 Fractions: Simple and Quick!

Another useful math trick is when you need to compare two fractions! Children often find it hard to learn fractions in the beginning. Faced with concepts such as “numerators” and “denominators”, it’s no wonder.  But when they need to figure out which fraction is greater, especially ones with different denominators, that can feel like a nightmare for them. Using this math trick, this can be solved in 2 easy steps! All they need to do is multiply the numerators and denominators to find the fraction’s value. For example, let’s say we need to compare between the fractions 4/9 and 3/7. We’ll call these “Fraction A” and “Fraction B” respectively. Here are the steps to solve this quickly:

• • First, find Fraction A’s value:
    • Multiply Fraction A’s numerator (the number above the line) with Fraction B’s denominator (the number below the line)
      • 4 x 7 = 35 – Fraction A’s value

• • Then, find Fraction B’s value:
    • Use Fraction B’s numerator and multiply it with Fraction A’s denominator.
      • 3 x 9 = 27 – Fraction B’s value.
      • Fun fact: Since we’re dealing with the number 9, you can also do this with the “rule of nines” math trick!

Since Fraction A’s value, 35, is greater than Fraction B’s value, 27, then the greater fraction is 4/9!

Math Trick #3 – Add 2 Digit Numbers in A Flash!

The next math trick comes in handy when you need to add the value of 2-digit numbers! In primary school math, children will become familiar with multiple-digit numbers, including 2-digit numbers. But what should children do when they need to add 2-digit numbers in a flash? Don’t worry, they can solve these easily by dividing the numbers into tens and units. When there’s a lot of big numbers involved, it’s easier to divide it into small steps to find the big answer. For example, here’s how kids can add the numbers 93 + 42 using this math trick:

• First, divide the second 2-digit number into tens and units
  • 42 = 40 + 2
• Then add the first 2-digit number with the tens of the second 2-digit number
  • 93 + 40 = 133
• Finally, add the answer with the unit of the second 2-digit number
  • 133 + 2 = 135

So, the answer of 93 + 42 is 135!

Math Trick #4 – Multiplying 2 Digits? No Problem!

Now that you know the math trick to add 2-digit numbers easily, how about when you need to multiply them? The next math trick will help children multiply 2 digits in no time! In fact, this trick’s principle is actually similar to the “addition” math trick earlier, only with a few tweaks. Let’s say you need to multiply 27 and 15. Here are the steps to take for this math trick:

• First, divide the larger number into its multiplication units
  • 27 = (3 x 9)

• Next, combine the units with the math problem
  • 3 x 9 x 15

• Then, multiply the larger unit first
  • 3 x (9 x 15)
  • 9 x 15 = 135
• Finally, multiply the smaller and last unit
  • 3 x 135 = 405

In other words, 27 x 15 = 405! There you have it! By dividing the math problem into smaller units, children can start small and multiply 2 digit numbers easily.

Math Trick #5 – Subtract 3 Digits from 1,000 Easily!

The final math trick is for subtracting 3 digit numbers from the number 1,000. As children progress in primary school, they’re going to face math problems with larger numbers (ex: hundreds and thousands). If they face a lot of numbers at once, it can feel overwhelming. The solution? Math trick to subtract any 3-digit number from 1000 quickly! Let’s say we need to subtract 823 from 1,000. Here’s how children can solve this in a heartbeat:

• First, subtract the first digit with the number 9
  • 9 – 8 = 1
• Then, subtract the second digit with number 9
  • 9 – 2 = 7
• Next, subtract the third digit with the number 10
  • 10 – 3 = 7
• Finally, combine the digits together to get the answer!

The answer to 1000 – 823 is 177!

Practice these math tricks with Practicle! 

Math tricks can do wonders to help kids solve math easily and quickly. By using these five math tricks, it won’t take long for them to understand math! Of course, children will need to practice these math tricks to know them by heart.  If you’re not sure on how to do that, you can check out Practicle’s math learning app! Our app’s daily math quizzes and challenges allow children to sharpen their math skills every day without much supervision. Not only can they practice these math skills on their own, they’ll have lots of fun too! Try our 7-day free trial to experience Practicle with no worries!