In 19th century America, Joseph Ray was the McGuffey of arithmetic. His textbooks, used throughout the United States, laid the mathematical foundations for the generations of inventors, engineers and businessmen who would make the nation a world power.

The format of Mental Arithmetic differs from that of traditional mental arithmetic materials in that pupils read the questions themselves, use rough paper for workings out, and write down their answers. It provides intensive practice in all areas of the maths curriculum.

These simple math secrets and tricks will forever change how you look at the world of numbers. Secrets of Mental Math will have you thinking like a math genius in no time. Get ready to amaze your friends—and yourself—with incredible calculations you never thought you could master, as renowned “mathemagician” Arthur Benjamin shares his techniques for lightning-quick calculations and amazing number tricks. This book will teach you to do math in your head faster than you ever thought possible, dramatically improve your memory for numbers, and—maybe for the first time—make mathematics fun. Yes, even you can learn to do seemingly complex equations in your head; all you need to learn are a few tricks. You’ll be able to quickly multiply and divide triple digits, compute with fractions, and determine squares, cubes, and roots without blinking an eye. No matter what your age or current math ability, Secrets of Mental Math will allow you to perform fantastic feats of the mind effortlessly. This is the math they never taught you in school.

No author has gone as far as Doerfler in covering methods of mental calculation beyond simple arithmetic. Even if you have no interest in competing with computers you'll learn a great deal about number theory and the art of efficient computer programming. —Martin Gardner

The format of Mental Arithmetic differs from that of traditional mental arithmetic materials in that pupils read the questions themselves, use rough paper for workings out, and write down their answers. It provides intensive practice in all areas of the maths curriculum.