Ancient Chinese Multiplication:

This is one of the easiest multiplication methods around. With just a couple of hand-strokes, you’ll be

able to multiply any number (integer), provided you know the basic mathematical tables (1 to 10)…

The first one might frustrate you a little bit, but once you get the hang of this, you’ll be able to multiply

numbers, huge ones, which you even haven’t dreamt of multiplying without a calculator!!

Example 1:

Suppose we want to multiply:

223 X 598 Step 1:

Draw a plain rectangular/square box/grid:

Step2:

There are two things you need to consider-

Columns-number of which is found by the number of digits in the left hand side of the equation.

e.g for 223,there will be 3 columns, meaning 3 separate “ROOMS”.

Rows- apply the same principle here as done in the column rule. Hence, for 598, which have 3

digits (5, 9 & 8), there will be 3 Rows.

Now, draw those columns and rows in the grid:

(3x3 Grid)

Now, you just gotta place the digits at their appropriate places. Digits at the left-hand side of the

equation will be placed above the Columns, digits at the right-hand side will be placed alongside the

Rows.

Then, divide each individual box into 2 with a diagonal stroke. Don’t worry if the diagonals are irregular.

See below for the example:

2 2 3

5

9

8

Step 3:

Now, just fill up the boxes by multiplying them in a Column Digit X Row

Digit Manner:

2 2 3

5

9

8

=133354

**Once you’re done, just add the numbers DIAGONALLY…

e.g. 4+0=4

e.g. 7+2+6=15

e.g. 5+2+8+1+6=22

e.g. 1+0+1+8+1==11

and so on….

1

0

1

0

1

5

1

8

1

8

2

7

1

6

1

6

2

4

Add and place the numbers as you add them in regular multiplication

methods,

[[i.e. first: 4 at last right end, then 5(of 15, 1 is debited to next),then

22+1(debit)=23 but write 3(2 is debited to next),then 11+2(debit)=13

but write 3(1 is debited to next) and so on….]]

PROGRESSIVE ADDITION of 4--15--22--11--2---1:

4

54

354

3354

133354

So after adding, you should get the multiplied result of 133354

Now, let’s deal with the REAL thing, the first example was child’s play. Let’s move on to a difficult multiplication.

Example 2:

Q. Multiply 528950285 X 9965482301 This one should not take you more than 7-8 minutes! First, give it a try to solve it using your

old “TRADITIONAL” method you learnt at school. Solution:

5 2 8 9 5 0 2 8 5 4 5

1 8

7 2

8 1

4 5

0 0

1 8

7 2

4 5 9

4 5

1 8

7 2

8 1

4 5

0 0

1 8

7 2

4 5 9

3 0

1 2

4 8

5 4

3 0

0 0

1 2

4 8

3 0 6

2 5

1 0

4 0

4 5

2 5

0 0

1 0

4 0

2 5 5

2 0

0 8

3 2

3 6

2 0

0 0

0 8

3 2

2 0 4

4 0

1 6

6 4

7 2

4 0

0 0

1 6

6 4

4 0 8

1 0

0 4

1 6

1 8

1 0

0 0

0 4

1 6

1 0 2

1 5

0 6

2 4

2 7

1 5

0 0

0 6

2 4

1 5 3

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0 0

0 5

0 2

0 8

0 9

0 5

0 0

0 2

0 8

0 5 1

=5271244703276405785 ©Farhan Ishrak Ahmed 2011