The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-03-15

have It down by heart up to 1,O0O,0O0
Most people only go as far as
12x12-144 l am now ablo to handle
problems producing answers up in the
vigintlllions. Perhaps you don't know
what yigintilion is, or what it looks
like" He took a pencil and wroet:
1900, 900, ,OOO. .OOO 600, 900, 600, 600 :
Ooo,ooO,ooO,Oo 100000 100000, o,oOooOo.0OO
That he said, "is sevcnty-seven
vigintillons-it runs thousands, mil
lions, billions, trillions. quadrillions.
quintllions, sextilllons. septfllions, oct
hnions, nontllons, decillions, undecll-
lions, duodecillions, tre-deciilions,
quadricllions, quindecillions, sexdecil-
lions sepdecillions, octeoillione, non
decillions, vigintilions."
Griffith juggles the different 'hllion
as the ordinary individual does thou
sands. When he was taken to the
East by professors OF the state univer-
sity mathematicians of Yale classcd
him with the ten or twelve most not
able prodigies Of history
Those who have followed mis- career
will recall that when he was discover
ea, eight years ago, there was Eeat
deal o7 speculation SIS to the stability
Of his mind
II was pointed ont that most of the
mathematical prodigies were monuma-
MACS, knowing nothing but figures,
and not being able often to tell how
they solved their problems Those who
knew Griffith when he FIRST attracted
state attention and know him today
have no doubt that his mind is nor
mai IN other lines He not only wrltes
much better than most Of the people
do who write occasionally for publica-
tlon. but his language rs good He
states clearly an kinds Of commercial
propositions in which he uses his ng-
lures He -5Gnyerses wen on general
subjects when be is drawn from his
i
absorbing study OF figures.
His lightning calculation is remark
able and clearly outclasses the work
Of ordina.y lightning calculators.
Hardly less noteworthy than the
rapidity 9th which he solves problems
/ is the momory ne exhibits In retaining
the numbers and results in his mind
A day after he has been asked to mul
tply any numbersay 64S,397x30S,G97
-he can restate the problem correctly
from memory and also talk Of the re
suit Of his previous calculations Hc
makes an of his calculations mental
ly and only writes the answer down
Such a proposition as the one given Is
solved as fast as he can write down
the figures, and he writes them yery
rapidly
II came TO town this week, he said
to the News with some problems for
the teachers or mathematics that ]
believe win defy the skin Of the best
Of them have obtanef the answers
to these problems and they viii IN
terest those who like 10 figure
"The first is-what would be the
compound interest on 81 at six pei
cent from the time Of the birth Of
Christ 10 the present timer
II would only suggest that those
who figure must lot be afraid Of the
numbers in which they win become In.
yolyed, for the amount would make
over 20,000.O30000. 600 600 100000 OO0,-
600, ,OOO. .Ge0 OO0. 100000 John ID. Rocke-
feIlers. estimating one John ID. at sG00.-
600, 900. It viii be profitable for peo-
PIE who are paying interest 10 work on
thls problem, for Il win show them
what p mountain compound interest
win build. This was the mCst diff
cult problem / have ever figured out.
It took me a half hour.
problem No. is. In how many
different positions can the ffty-two
cards IN a deck Of cards be arranged?
Don't be afraid Of numbers in working
out this one The number viii be
astounding. and IL one contents him
self working out the problem By tho
old long rules am afraid he win not
get through tie task soon.
~Ali Of these propositions are infer
estlng ones" he said. Here are some
more" They are given As be stated
them:
"Whst Is She weight Of the ground