Faster than a calculator | Arthur Benjamin | TEDxOxford
TLDRIn a fascinating demonstration of 'mathemagics,' Arthur Benjamin, a self-proclaimed 'mathemagician,' showcases his mental arithmetic prowess by performing a series of complex calculations faster than the audience can with their calculators. Starting with multiplying two-digit numbers, he progresses to squaring numbers in his head, competing against volunteers using their calculators. Benjamin then attempts to square three-digit numbers from the audience's suggestions and even takes on a four-digit number, demonstrating his method by breaking it down into more manageable parts. He also engages the audience in a unique challenge of identifying a missing digit from a sequence of numbers. The session includes a fun interaction where he determines the day of the week for audience members' birthdays using an app and his knowledge. Finally, Benjamin concludes with an ambitious attempt to square a five-digit number, explaining his thought process and mnemonic techniques along the way, leaving the audience in awe of his 'mathemagical' abilities.
Takeaways
- 🎩 Arthur Benjamin is a 'mathemagician' who combines his love for math and magic to create a unique performance.
- 🧙 He engages the audience by asking for volunteers to use their calculators on stage to verify his mathematical tricks.
- 📱 Volunteers are asked to bring calculators to the stage and multiply two-digit numbers to ensure the devices are working correctly.
- 🏆 Benjamin challenges himself to square two-digit numbers in his head faster than the volunteers can using their calculators.
- 🤓 He shares a shortcut for squaring numbers on a calculator and demonstrates his mental calculation skills by squaring three-digit numbers.
- 🔢 In an impressive display, Benjamin attempts to square four-digit numbers and five-digit numbers, showcasing his mental math prowess.
- 📉 He humorously acknowledges the limits of calculators when attempting to square a five-digit number, pivoting to a different trick.
- 🎲 Benjamin involves the audience in a game where he tries to guess the missing digit of a multiplied six or seven-digit number.
- 🗓 He demonstrates a method to calculate the day of the week for any given date, using an app and his own knowledge for verification.
- ⏱️ Time is an essential factor in his performance, as he races against the clock and the audience's calculators to solve complex problems.
- 📝 He uses a phonetic mnemonic device to remember and recall large numbers, explaining his process to make it accessible to the audience.
Q & A
What is the term used by Art Benjamin to describe his combination of math and magic?
-Art Benjamin refers to his combination of math and magic as 'mathemagics'.
How does Art Benjamin ensure that the calculators are working properly during his performance?
-Art Benjamin ensures the calculators are working by having volunteers multiply two two-digit numbers, 74 and 39, and check if the result is 2,886.
What is the shortcut method Art Benjamin mentions for squaring numbers on a calculator?
-The shortcut method Art Benjamin mentions is using the square function or button on the calculator, which is often represented by an 'x²' symbol.
How does Art Benjamin attempt to multiply numbers faster than the volunteers using their calculators?
-Art Benjamin squares three two-digit numbers in his head, attempting to do so faster than the volunteers can using their calculators and the shortcut method.
What is the process Art Benjamin uses to square a five-digit number mentally?
-Art Benjamin breaks down the problem into three parts: squaring the first part of the number, squaring the second part, and then adding the product of the first and second parts multiplied by two.
What is the mnemonic device Art Benjamin uses to remember and recall numbers?
-Art Benjamin uses a phonetic code, a mnemonic device that allows him to convert numbers into words, which he then stores and later retrieves as numbers.
How does Art Benjamin involve the audience in determining the day of the week for a given birthdate?
-Art Benjamin asks audience members for their birth year, month, and day, and then uses an app or his knowledge to determine the day of the week they were born.
What is the range of years that Art Benjamin's app can calculate the day of the week for a given date?
-The app can calculate the day of the week for dates between the years 1600 and 3000.
How does Art Benjamin engage the audience in a final challenge involving a five-digit number?
-Art Benjamin asks the first five people in an aisle to give him a single-digit number each, which he then uses to create a five-digit number to square, performing the calculation out loud.
What is the significance of the number '611,481' in the script?
-The number '611,481' is the correct result that Art Benjamin arrives at when mentally calculating the square of a five-digit number, 37,691, during his performance.
What is the method Art Benjamin uses to make his calculations more relatable and understandable to the audience?
-Art Benjamin uses a thinking-out-loud approach, explaining each step of his calculation process and using a phonetic code mnemonic device to make the calculations more relatable and understandable.
Outlines
🧙♂️ Introduction to Mathemagics
Art Benjamin, a 'mathemagician,' introduces himself and his unique blend of math and magic. He asks for volunteers with calculators to assist in demonstrating mathematical tricks. After confirming the calculators' accuracy with a multiplication task, he shares a shortcut for squaring numbers and challenges himself to square two-digit numbers mentally faster than the volunteers can with their calculators. The audience provides two-digit numbers, and the volunteers use their calculators, with Benjamin successfully matching their results.
🚀 Squaring Numbers Challenge
Benjamin ups the ante by attempting to square three-digit numbers without writing them down, relying on mental calculation. Audience members call out numbers, and a volunteer confirms his answers. He then attempts to square a four-digit number, using a random method by combining single-digit numbers called out by four different audience members to form the number. Despite a slight error, he corrects himself with the help of a volunteer's confirmation. The segment showcases Benjamin's mental calculation skills and audience interaction.
📅 Determining Days of the Week
Benjamin shifts gears to a different type of math trick involving determining the day of the week for a given date. Audience members share their birth dates, and he correctly identifies the day of the week for each. He also uses an app to verify the day of the week for a future date provided by an audience member. The segment demonstrates Benjamin's knowledge of algorithms and calendars, adding an element of personalization to the performance.
🧠 Mental Calculation of Large Numbers
In the final segment, Benjamin tackles the challenge of mentally squaring a five-digit number, which he constructs from digits provided by audience members. He breaks down the calculation into three parts, using a phonetic mnemonic technique to aid his memory. The audience, some of whom use calculators, await his result. He successfully completes the calculation, with the audience confirming his answer. This segment is a testament to Benjamin's mental arithmetic skills and concludes the show on a high note.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Mathemagician
💡Calculator
💡Squaring a Number
💡Shortcut
💡Volunteer
💡Mnemonic Device
💡Day of the Week
💡Gregorian Calendar
💡Phonetic Code
💡Randomness
💡Interactive Performance
Highlights
Arthur Benjamin is a 'mathemagician' who combines his love for math and magic to perform 'mathemagics'.
He challenges the audience to a multiplication contest using calculators.
Benjamin squares two-digit numbers in his head faster than the audience can using calculators.
He demonstrates a shortcut for squaring numbers on calculators.
Benjamin squares three-digit numbers in his head and gets them right.
He attempts to square a four-digit number in his head but gets slightly off.
Benjamin squares a five-digit number in his head by breaking it down into parts.
He uses a phonetic code mnemonic device to remember and recall numbers.
Benjamin correctly guesses the missing digit in a six or seven-digit number.
He asks audience members for their birth year and calculates the day of the week they were born.
Benjamin uses an app to verify the day of the week for a future date in 2730.
He invites audience members to find out their birth day of the week from him after the show.
Benjamin squares the five-digit number 37,691 in his head using a multi-step process.
The audience judges confirm that he gets the correct answer.
Benjamin explains his thought process out loud as he performs the complex calculation.
He uses a combination of math tricks, shortcuts, and mnemonic devices to perform the calculations.
The audience is impressed by Benjamin's math skills and speed.
Benjamin's mathemagics performance is entertaining, educational, and inspiring.
Transcripts
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