What is Mental Math? Foundational Strategies to Help Kids Get Better at Math

Mental math serves as a valuable tool for children to swiftly arrive at accurate solutions for a variety of complex calculations. It equips kids with effective techniques to streamline their calculations while fostering an appreciation for the elegance of mathematics. By introducing students to mental math, you open the door to a previously unexplored realm of numbers and functions, expanding their mathematical horizons.

What Is Mental Math?

Mental math involves the skillful manipulation of equations, efficient use of quick functions, and clever calculation techniques to swiftly arrive at accurate solutions for solvable problems. Through regular practice in mental math, children can develop the ability to perform intricate calculations in a matter of seconds, often with minimal external assistance. By employing effective teaching methods, kids can acquire strategies that are not only useful in academic settings but also applicable in their day-to-day lives.

Why Are Mental Calculations Important for Kids?

Teaching effective mental math strategies can cultivate a sense of curiosity and appreciation for mathematics in students. By approaching math problems from various angles, students can embrace new concepts without feeling overwhelmed, which is a common challenge during their early education.

Mathematics also plays a crucial role in enhancing analytical thinking skills, contributing to long-term cognitive development. Providing children with the right mental calculation tools can prepare them for a lifetime of learning and enable them to apply mathematical concepts to real-world situations. This includes tasks such as estimating the speed of a bicycle, analyzing height distributions in a classroom, and engaging in other fascinating mental math exercises.

By presenting math as a creative discipline rather than just a set of numerical skills, we can inspire children to develop a genuine fondness for the subject. This approach empowers students to actively participate in classroom discussions, readily offer solutions to problems, and invent innovative strategies for solving traditional equations.

Uncovering the Best Methods and Strategies

You can assist children in building a strong foundation in mental math skills, enabling them to calculate solutions quickly and efficiently. It’s not just about arriving at the correct answer mentally; it’s often about employing effective techniques to simplify problems and reduce cognitive load. Let’s explore some of the best mental calculation strategies that should be taught to all kids:

1. Multiplication with Multiples of 10: When faced with multiplying numbers like 35 and 500, kids can utilize this clever multiplication technique. By breaking down 500 into 5 multiplied by 100, they can first calculate 35 multiplied by 5 to obtain 175. Then, by multiplying this result by 100, they arrive at the final answer of 17,500. Breaking down multiples of 10 in this way simplifies various multiplication problems.
2. Subtraction with Double and Triple-digit Numbers: Enhancing subtraction skills involves looking at larger numbers differently. For instance, when subtracting 52 from 567, kids can break 52 into 50 and 2. They can first subtract 50 from 567 to get 517 and then subtract 2 to reach 515. This approach allows students to mentally tackle complex subtraction equations. For example, for 892 – 124, they can subtract 100 to get 792, then 20 to get 772, and finally 4 to arrive at 768. Practicing this technique helps children develop an intuitive sense for subtraction.
3. Quick Trick to Multiply by 5: To multiply a number by 5, kids can halve it and append a zero. For example, 48 multiplied by 5 becomes 24 with a zero added, resulting in 240. This method also works for odd numbers by dividing by 2 and shifting the decimal point. For instance, 67 multiplied by 5 can be calculated as half of 67 (33.5) with the decimal point shifted, resulting in 335. Explaining the rationale behind this mental math strategy helps children visualize the trick better.
4. Addition Through Rounding: Encourage children to employ a simple rounding-up or rounding-down trick using their hands. For example, for 342 + 628, students can subtract 2 from 342 to make it 340 and add 2 to 628, making it 630. This simplifies the calculation to 340 + 630, resulting in 970. The trick involves keeping track of the rounding using fingers: 2 up for rounding down and 2 up for rounding up. Then, add or subtract the corresponding numbers. In this case, 0 remains, yielding the final answer of 970. A similar approach applies to other addition problems.
5. Multiplication by a Single-digit Number: When multiplying larger numbers by a single-digit number, children can employ a quick and efficient calculation method. They can break down the equation into parts. For example, for 148 multiplied by 7, they can decompose it into 100 multiplied by 7, 40 multiplied by 7, and 8 multiplied by 7. This simplifies the problem to 700 + 280 + 56, resulting in 1036. By further breaking down numbers and applying other mental math tricks, children can make such calculations in a matter of seconds.

Teaching these mental math strategies equips kids with valuable tools for solving math problems swiftly and with confidence.

Four Important Ways to Help Kids Get Better at Mental Calculations

1. Reducing Calculator Dependency: By minimizing the reliance on both mobile and physical calculators, you can enhance your child’s innate capacity to perform a wide range of calculations, from basic arithmetic like addition and subtraction to more advanced operations like multiplication and percentages. These skills can become second nature, allowing them to compute effortlessly either mentally or using simple written methods.
2. Encouraging Mental Math in Real-Life Situations: Encourage your child to engage in mental calculations in everyday scenarios. While shopping or dining out, you can challenge them to calculate the tip, determine discounted prices, assess service charges, and apply other quick math skills. In educational settings, tasks like calculating ratios, such as the ratio of boys to girls on the playground, can keep their mental math skills active and their minds engaged.
3. Exploring Puzzles and Math Games: Offer your children access to math-oriented games and puzzles that empower them to enhance their mathematical abilities independently. These enjoyable activities provide a playful yet effective environment for practicing quick mental math skills.
4. Strengthening Fundamental Mental Math Techniques: Consistent practice of foundational mental math strategies is key to keeping your child’s math skills sharp and their enthusiasm for learning intact. Concepts such as dealing with numbers close to multiples of 100, mastering the double plus one rule, and utilizing methods like breaking down addition problems into simpler components can be introduced progressively to maintain their excitement for mathematical learning.

Four Tips for Optimal Practicing of Mental Calculation

One of the most crucial aspects of mastering mental calculation techniques is consistent daily practice. This can be achieved through various means, including online games, worksheets, one-on-one sessions, and live challenges.

1. Online Math Games: Online math games offer an enjoyable way for children to grasp mathematical concepts intuitively. When they derive pleasure from learning about numbers and calculations, they develop a deeper understanding of mathematics. Platforms like SplashLearn offer a wide array of online games that can help children enhance their innate calculation skills while having fun.
2. Daily Worksheets: Employing daily worksheets is an effective method to keep children engaged in both classroom and home settings while monitoring their progress. Worksheets provide a versatile learning experience that can captivate their attention for extended periods. You can also provide a variety of mental math worksheets for printing, enabling them to practice mental calculations across a range of problems.
3. Integration into Regular Math Homework: One significant reason students retain mental math techniques is their applicability in diverse scenarios. Encouraging children to employ these skills in their daily homework, online assignments, and classroom quizzes helps solidify their abilities. By incorporating mental calculation strategies into their regular math tasks, students can refine their skills further.
4. Continuous Exploration of Strategies: An essential aspect of mastering mental calculation is the continual incorporation of new strategies into their existing knowledge base. Encouraging children to explore novel approaches to traditional math problems keeps their interest sustained and allows them to continually advance their ability to tackle complex mathematical equations. This ongoing learning journey ensures they remain engaged and enthusiastic about math.

How Can I Implement Mental Math in My Classroom?

Incorporating mental calculation strategies into the classroom can be seamlessly integrated into your daily lesson plans. By encouraging students to approach problems with a mental toolkit of strategies, you can boost their confidence and proficiency. Additionally, you can introduce helpful prompts during the instruction of new topics or when administering quizzes to prompt students to consider mental calculations.

For younger students, utilizing teaching aids can be highly effective. Incorporate toys, blocks, number sheets, and other engaging resources to create a stress-free and interactive learning experience. You can even employ educational songs designed for children to teach mental calculation strategies in a delightful and musical manner. Engaging the entire class in online math games and quizzes can also make the learning process enjoyable while enhancing their ability to solve various math problems accurately.

How Can I Help My Child with Math at Home?

To foster proficiency in mental calculations, it’s essential to strengthen specific areas of your child’s mathematical understanding. Encourage them to practice these key aspects at home, allowing them to enhance their ability to find solutions swiftly:

1. Visualizing the Number Line and Recognizing Odd and Even Numbers: Help your child develop a strong grasp of the number line and improve their recognition of odd and even numbers. This visual foundation is crucial for mental calculations.
2. Daily Practice Aligned with Classroom Objectives: Promote daily practice that aligns with the mental calculation goals set in their classroom. Consistency in practice reinforces their skills and ensures they are in sync with their class curriculum.
3. Regular Use of Mental Calculation Across a Variety of Problems: Encourage your child to apply mental calculation routinely when solving a diverse range of problems. This practice enhances their adaptability and confidence in using mental math.
4. Instinctive Rounding Up and Down: Ensure your child can instinctively determine when to round numbers up or down. This skill is invaluable for quick and accurate mental calculations.
5. Enhancing Skip Counting and Quick Counting Skills: Focus on improving your child’s ability to skip count and quickly count numbers mentally. These skills form the foundation for efficient mental calculations.

Once your child has mastered these foundational areas, they can then concentrate on expanding their knowledge base and continue to practice more advanced mental calculation techniques.

Handy Resources to Aid Your Teaching

To facilitate the teaching of mental calculation strategies to children, you can utilize a range of resources, adapting them to the appropriate complexity level based on the students’ grade.

1. Mental Calculation Games: Begin with mental calculation games available online. These games offer an engaging and gamified environment for kids to learn and apply various mental calculation strategies. They enhance recall abilities and foster self-driven learning.
2. Mental Calculation Worksheets: Utilize worksheets tailored to your child’s grade level. These worksheets provide a set of challenging math questions that target core calculation skills. Different worksheets can focus on various aspects of mental calculations, helping your child improve in different areas.
3. Memory Recall Flashcards: Create flashcards that encompass different mental calculation tricks and illustrate their practical applications. Flashcards are an excellent tool for testing children’s recall abilities and can be introduced progressively to support their curiosity about mathematics.
4. Math Play Activities: Engage in interactive and enjoyable math activities and board games with your kids. Activities like “101 and out,” where children count to 101 by rolling a die, can be entertaining and educational. You can also challenge them to find multiple ways to arrive at a given number using four or fewer numbers. These activities make learning math interactive and enjoyable.

By incorporating these resources and teaching methodologies, parents and educators can instill foundational skills in children, boosting their confidence in mathematics. Through the mastery of mental tricks, children can rekindle their enthusiasm for math and naturally become more proficient in it.