Hooray for Arthur Benjamin, a hero in the making. He is really cool, and it is fun to listen to people who love arithmetic algorithms.

I hope that people don't leave his show thinking that only someone like him could do this. I have known people who never graduated from high school, who could do similar algorithmic feats.

This was an excellent topic for you Wired Science to bring forward. I enjoy reading all the blogs. Sometimes a blog will inspire me to respond, as this one has done.

The answers to your multiple choice question about using long division seem obvious to me.

You will get as many different answers as there are types of learners who read this blog, BUT the answers will most probably tend to be skewed towards the learning style of the majority of people who read your blog.

Now you have a follow-up DIY research question to evaluate.

For myself, personally, I like algorithms, especially long division. I like division all across the board. If we abandon division will be abandon all other forms of subtraction?

Sheryl,

Thanks for the comment! Glad to have moved you to comment. Yes, he is pretty amazing, isn't he? Yes, you are right (and I expected) that there will be many different answers to my question about long division and mental arithmetic. That was why I asked the question, since it was largely designed to get someone asking themselves that... rather than me seeking a specific answer.

One thing I wondered about - when people put on these shows I think it is more often the case that they are multiplying numbers together (and, of course adding as part of that process). Doing divisions, and the accompanying subtracting, seems less common. I assume that this is because it is harder to do as well in one's head...(it is for me)... but I've always wondered why exactly that is the case...

Happy dividing!

-cvj