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Scott Cram Inner circle 2678 Posts |
Dr. Arthur Benjamin, about 10 or so years ago, had an informerical for a set called "Math E Magics". It's become pretty difficult to find, unless you can win a copy on eBay.
However, someone (no, not me) has posted the full "Math E Magics" video on YouTube! |
drkptrs1975 Elite user North Eastern PA 452 Posts |
If I know what you are talking about, I have it.
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Mikael Eriksson Inner circle None of your business 1064 Posts |
For several years I wanted to buy this. Now that I have watched most of it, I must say that I'm disappointed. I thought it would teach you how to do math in your head. It really doesn't. What it does teach is how to do math if you have a pencil and a paper. He gives an example of a little girl who does it unbelievably fast in her head. It just feels ridiculous. Maybe there are a very small minority who will be able to do it that fast in their heads, but most will not. Many will not even be able to do it slowly in their heads.
I was a bit surprised to see that some of the methods I have invented myself and used to be more effective. But I had expected it to contain "smarter" methods than I myself could invent. Nonetheless, it contained a few really helpful methods to do math if you have a pencil and a paper. Now the question is if Scott Flansburg´s methods are any different? |
stanalger Special user St. Louis, MO 998 Posts |
If you've studied Benjamin, you certainly don't need Flansburg.
There's a video clip (Scott Cram can point you to it) of Flansburg on the Oprah show. He's spouting the most ridiculous BS about how arithmetic can be made easier for kids simply by getting them to start their counting with 0 rather than 1. (Oprah and her audience members nod their heads in wide-eyed amazement.) Flansburg says something along the lines of "That's the way calculators work. When you turn on the calculator, the first thing you see is a '0'." He also teaches the nines-root test for (partially) [i]checking[/] calculations...claiming that it [i]simplifies[/] calculations. Flansburg has worked with Kevin Trudeau. Need I say more? Flansburg's infomercial was very misleading. A friend purchased it...and wound up sending it back for a refund. Not only did the package contain no information that wasn't readily available in many other books easily found in any public library, but (to add insult) it was chock full of typos. I'll bet there were a lot of purchasers who simply never got around to working through the package. And among those that did, I'll bet a sizable proportion were simply too lazy to box it back up and ship it back for a refund. I'm sure Flansburg made lots of money. I heard Flansburg on the Larry King radio show many years ago. King was a sweetheart, very easy on Flansburg. Some of the more intelligent callers weren't. But Flansburg was a good-enough spinmeister to minimize the damage. Flansburg [i]did[/] compete in the 2004 Mental Calculation World Cup competition. The results speak for themselves: http://www.recordholders.org/en/events/w......lts.html |
MR2Guy Regular user Nashville 179 Posts |
I've tried a few systems, and they just didn't "stick". Here is a site that made me a believer, I don't know how similar it is to other methods, but give it a try.
Vedic Math
Question every rule.
There are no absolutes. |
stanalger Special user St. Louis, MO 998 Posts |
Dang! I was making fun of Flansburg's typos...and then I screwed up
my bb code. Anyone want their money back? Stan |
Scott Cram Inner circle 2678 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-11-22 08:55, stanalger wrote: How did I get to be the go-to guy for math videos? Oh, right. In that case, Here's the Scott Flansburg/Oprah footage to which Stan is referring. Quote:
On 2006-11-22 10:38, MR2Guy wrote: While we're talking about deception, math and marketing, it should be noted that there is widespread skepticism about the "ancient" nature of "Vedic Math". Neither Vedic Nor Mathematics Wikipedia: Vedic Mathematics (especially interesting is the criticism section) This isn't to say that the methods don't work. Indeed, there are some great number tricks you can learn from "Vedic Math". |
MichelAsselin Veteran user 20th century, 3rd dimension 326 Posts |
I have touched on this privately with Mikael in hte past, and can assure you of this; Benjamin's methods will work. I learned from his book, and can do 3-, 4-, and 5 digits squares. In the process of being interested in mental math, I came across several books (Stickler, Julius), including Scott Flansburg stuff. Nothing comes close to Benjamin in terms of clarity. Mathemagics carried a lot of bang for the bucks. The last chapter on performance-tricks is literally ready-to-wear. The intro to number mnemmonics is also excellent.
There is some interesting Vedic stuff, but what I came across so far was of limited use. As for the Trachtenberg stuff, I find it of limited use. But their story is so compelling, I usually pass it along whenever I perform the stuff.
" , ? ; !!! "
- Marcel Marceau, Feb 30, 1945. |
mentalskeptic Regular user Hollywood, CA 148 Posts |
I have the Benjamin tapes and aside from the low production value (they are 80s or early 90s instructional videos, afterall) it is a good place to start.
Rather than videos however, I would recommend that someone interested in this just up various titles on the subject and see what works for you. Amazon.com sells many titles along these lines used. Stanalger: which titles would you recommend first? Would you like to venture an opinion about which titles should be avoided?
"Few have the courage of their convictions; fewer still, the courage for an attack on their convictions." — Nietzsche
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