Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-02
CURIOUS FIGURING.
It's Way the Russian Peasant Has,
and It's an Enigma.

This is not a meaningless, freaky
twister Of a puzzle. But it is a puzzle
It is the method by which Russian
peasants multiply, and as Yet the
boasted mental superiority of America
cannot solve the simple riddle of the
SIav.
Suppose you want TO multiply two
numbers together. Divide one of the
numbers by ,. Ignoring the frac-
tons Continue the process until the
divided column reaches one. Then dou-
BILE the other number and continue the
process until it equals in lines the first
column Then whenever a number Is
even in the first column strike it out,
together with its corresponding mum :
Der in the second column. Add the sec
end column, and, 10 the answer. Now
why does it do it, There seems to BIZ
no reason for it. but what Is it? Can
you work it out?
1t is infallibIe. 1t has never been
known to fail But what principle o.
mathematics is behind it all? Perha pS
it is some queer freak of numbers,
some one says, but such things are nol
to be turned aside with such generali-
ties. Mathematics is not built upon so
lax system There is some rule be-
hind it all.
Take the simple multiple II by 10.
Obviously the answer is 120. Try (
the Russian way. Place /. in the tirs1
column and 10 in the second Divide
II by and multiply 10 by and place
the respective answers beneath the
sums from which they were derived.
1t will stand and 20. Dividing by ,
equals 3, and multiplying 90 by :!
equals 40. Continuing, 8 divided by :
and throwing away all fractions will
be l, while 40 multiplied by will be
so. Now strike out all the numbers III
the first column which are even and
with it their parallels in the second
column-l2 and s will go out, leaving
the last two parallel results. Ignoring
the first column and adding the num-
bers in the second. the answer will be
the result of 40 and so. or 100.
The questions are: Who ever worked
it out How did he start?
Now try working the problem by
putting 10 in the first column ami
subjecting it to the dividing and II to
the multiplying. 1t will result like
this: Ten and IL will become and "a,
which will in turn be changed to ? and
As and finally into l and SO. Then,
striking out the numbers 10 and with
their corresponding numbers IL and
IS, leaving the second column figures
"a and So to be added-this becomes
800
There is no escaping it. No matter
how large the score. it comes out right
with distressing surety. Take the odd
numbers. Perhaps there is some twis,
in the scheme that applies to even
numbers. Take IS and 10 Going
right down the column they become IL
and 80; then and so; then and 100;
then 1 and 240: IL and go out, taking
with them 80 and so. Add Is. 12o and
24o. Answer, 375. Multiply 25 by IL ac-
cording to our methods. Correct-375.
Now. why is it that the even num-
bers must be eliminated on the right
side when they do not count at all in
the addition?
1t is plain to be seen that all tn,
numbers in the second column will be
even, but by what freak of calculation
are those corresponding to the even
numbers in the first column Of no con-
sequence when the correct sum il to
be obtained?
Where no even number results in the