When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better?

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:59:19 GMT

jwcph@helvede.net — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:59:19 GMT

@futurebird I do have some of this kind of little maths memorized, but only enough that there's usually one near by - e.g. 7*5 = 35, so if I need 7*6 all I have to do is add another 7 to that one

Obviously factor 10 is also readily avaliable, so I might get to 7*8 by going "So that's 70-2*7, so 14, that puts me at 60-4, that's 56"

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:56:13 GMT

mstar@mk.absturztau.be — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:56:13 GMT

@futurebird@sauropods.win I usually go to the nearest factor of five or ten first

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:37:21 GMT

vogelchr@chaos.social — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:37:21 GMT

@futurebird if this is a real poll and not only “for teh lulz”… I get most of the n×m pretty instantly and when they don’t pop up instantly my brain immediately goes (n-1)×m + m or something similar. The ones with 7 being an especially nasty case of not popping up instantly

n and m between 2 and 12.

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:34:09 GMT

u0421793@toot.pikopublish.ing — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:34:09 GMT

@futurebird@sauropods.win I just count up to six, quietly, non-verbally (I hope), and do that seven times. I will inevitably lose count, either because of accidentally not saying the number that comes after the previous number I just said, or by losing count of how many times I’ve counted, or in this case, because I get bored because it takes a long time and might just guess any big-looking number if an answer needs to be presented quickly. Almost always the result will be a bigger number, and as it is bigger I’m satisfied that that is the answer, but usually a calculator will show some other number instead.

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:31:57 GMT

quincy@chaos.social — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:31:57 GMT

@erdstern @futurebird

I can do it, but am very slow

7*8 will always be 56, though. (memorized and still have to re-check nearly every time)

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:30:17 GMT

erdstern@nrw.social — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:30:17 GMT

@futurebird @quincy

My autistic brain doesn’t do numbers. At all. So I’ll always ask my calculator app.

(and no, it’s NOT lack of practice. I did times tables as a child until I was blue in the face. I managed to memorise some of them like you would a chorus, or a poem. Still no idea how to do mental arithmetics. Which didn‘t prevent me from enjoying maths, especially algebra. Brains are funny creatures )

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:02:58 GMT

silhelm@craftgoblin.club — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 08:02:58 GMT

@KalenXI @futurebird same!

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:58:43 GMT

hiker@akk.fedcast.ch — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:58:43 GMT

@futurebird Today they ask ChatGPT?

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:52:30 GMT

apostateenglishman@mastodon.world — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:52:30 GMT

@futurebird We had our times tables drilled into us, just as we were expected to write in cursive. Both were once considered essential life skills. Teachers told us that we wouldn't always have a calculator/computer to hand! Smartphones hadn't been conceived yet.

I'm told that many younger people have become increasingly reliant on technology, and that the education system now encourages this. If true, I'm not convinced this is progress. ‍️

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:48:32 GMT

scubaet@masto.ai — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:48:32 GMT

@futurebird 7*8=56 immediately, however 8*7 needs to be converted to 7*8 to get to the answer

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:43:13 GMT

irrsinnhilft@mastodon.green — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:43:13 GMT

@futurebird

5*8 = 40 40+16=56

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:10:38 GMT

terryhancock@realsocial.life — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:10:38 GMT

@futurebird
Also, the colors don't help. How do you get orange and white from green and purple? (Sometimes synaesthesia helps, but sometimes not!)

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:08:51 GMT

terryhancock@realsocial.life — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:08:51 GMT

@futurebird
I used to get this confused with 6*9=54, so I think I really get it from 7*7=49+7=56.

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 02:47:48 GMT

ams@infosec.exchange — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 02:47:48 GMT

@futurebird @jitterted It's prime, not 2, and not a prime factor of our number base or base-1. In octal the nine-tricks work with 7.

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 02:25:50 GMT

swizzlevixen@social.lol — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 02:25:50 GMT

@futurebird @whattherestimefor usually immediate — I did memorize “times tables” up to 12 in my youth, but I do occasionally forget one and have to work up or down from one that I do recall.

*My memory is pretty shit, so I’m surprised I remember as often as I do

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 02:04:00 GMT

wharrrrrrgarbl@an.errant.cloud — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 02:04:00 GMT

@futurebird @jitterted and have you looked at the decimal expansions when dividing?

1, great. 2, fantastic, ditto 4, 5, and 8. 3, 6, and 9 are all giving you infinite 3s or 1s or 6s or whatever, but at least it's all the same number. 7 is giving you its Dick van Dyke cockney accent impression of pi.

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 01:13:26 GMT

ophis@brain.worm.pink — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 01:13:26 GMT

@futurebird 7749 (or 7642) and then continue the memorized sequence from there

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 01:10:03 GMT

hazardius@hachyderm.io — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 01:10:03 GMT

@futurebird For me it's connected to my "most remembered" part of multiplication table -> 7*7. Then I just add one more 7 to the result.
It's not that much slower than having it remembered, so I never bothered to "optimize" it.

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:56:41 GMT

clayfoot@mastodon.social — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:56:41 GMT

@futurebird @jitterted 7 x 7 is a hopeless case. Hopefully, it never comes up.

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:19:02 GMT

futurebird@sauropods.win — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:19:02 GMT

@madengineering

I always imagined she was over-serious the silly child of mathematics is Pure Math

https://sauropods.win/@futurebird/111366068366838326

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sat, 24 Oct 2026 23:55:27 GMT

damonwakes@mastodon.sdf.org — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 23:55:27 GMT

@futurebird @jitterted I was thinking specifically of this: https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/10/20/indian-certification-authority-emudhras-private-keys-compromised-one-of-them-was-the-number-4/5304312 It's become a bit of a meme lately.

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sat, 24 Oct 2026 23:52:34 GMT

zzt@mas.to — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 23:52:34 GMT

@futurebird I simply do not multiply 7*8

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sat, 24 Oct 2026 23:47:35 GMT

mxjaygrant@triangletoot.party — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 23:47:35 GMT

@futurebird I have dyscalculia and anything larger than 6x6 I can't do in my head so 7x6 could be 56, I dunno

(aside to my middle school math teacher: I carry a calculator everywhere these days, now who's having the last laugh?!)

Reply to When you need to multiply 7*8 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better? on Sat, 24 Oct 2026 23:35:47 GMT

futurebird@sauropods.win — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 23:35:47 GMT

@DamonWakes @jitterted

In some numerologies 4 is considered feminine while 5 is masculine. So, I always get a little salty when people hate on 4 because it seems vaguely sexist.