BASIC MATH SHORTCUTS

- SPEED CALCULATION
The knowledge on Basic Math Shortcut Tricks
and practicing those sincerely shall enable
you to minimize time duration for any sort
of calculation within a few seconds. This will
support you to cover maximum number of
questions Quantitative Aptitude subject in
any competitive Examination thus resulting
high scoring of marks in the paper.
Before going in detail, the students are
advised to memorize and ensure of following
facts at their end.
 Basicknowledge on different types of
numbers such as whole numbers,integers,
rational numbers, real numbers,odd
numbers,even numbers and prime numbers
etc.

 Knowledge on all mathematical operations

i.e addition, subtraction multiplication and
division etc
 Keeping following things always in memory
 Multiplication table up to 30
 Square of numbers upto 25
 Cubes of numbers up to 10
 Square root of the numbers up to 10
 Cube root upto number 10
 All basic formulae on Algebra as follows
(a+b)²,(a-b)²,(a+b+c)²,(a²-b²),(a+b)³,(a-b)³,
(a³+b³) and (a³-b³) etc.
 MATHEMATICAL OERATION SHORTCUTS

On the basis of basic knowledge on traditional

mathematical operation, we may proceed for
several math tricks.
Types of Addition Shortcuts:
 Addition of similar digit numbers
 Addition of similar digit decimal numbers
 Sum of numbers without decimal in first
number
 Sum of numbers without decimal in
second number
 Addition of common difference in a series
of numbers
 Sum of all consecutive numbers starting
from 1
 Addition of consecutive numbers
 Sum of all odd numbers starting from 1
 Addition combination of decimal and
whole numbers
 7+77+777+7777+77777+777777=?
Sol:7(1+2+3+4+5+6)=7x123456=864192
 0.5+0.55+0.555+0.5555=?
Sol:5(0.1+0.11+0.111+0.1111)=5x0.4321=2.1605
 270+89=?
Sol:270+(89+1)-1=359
 219+20=?
Sol:(219+1)+20-1=239
 17+27+37+47+57=?
Sol:(17+57)x5/2=185
 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+11+12=?
Sol:12x13/2=78
 23+24+25+26+27+28+29=?
Sol:(23+29)x7/2=182
 Sum of all odd number starting from1 to 60?
Sol:(60/2)²=30²=900
 7.7+7.77+7.777+7.7777+7.77777+7.777777=?
Sol:7x6+7X0.654321=42+4.580247=46.580247
 Multiplication of two digit numbers
 Multiplication of three digit number with two
digit number
 Multiplication of three digit numbers
 Multiplication of four digit numbers with two
digit numbers
 Multiplication of a numbers range below 50
 Multiplication of numbers range above 50 and
below 100
 Multiplication of three digit numbers range
above 100
 Multiplication of numbers more than 100
 Multiplication of any two numbers by tabular
method
 Typical 100,200,1000 etc Base Methods
 Multiplication of number with certain
specific numbers such as 5,25,50,125,9,11,13
and 99
 Miscellaneous special shortcut methods
 43x64=?
Step 1:Multiply 3x4=12,Note down 2,carry 1
Step 2:Cross multiply 4x4=16 and 3x6=18
Step 3:Add both the result,16+18=34 and the
add 1,34+1=35,note 5 and carry 3
Step 4:Multiply 4x6=24 and add 3,24+3=27,then
27,Hence final answer is 2752
calculate mentally as follows,
6x4/(4x4+3x6)/3x4=24/34/12=2752
 356x47=?
Step1: Multiply 7x6=42,Note 2,carry 4
Step 2:Cross multiply 7x5=35 and 6x4=24
Step 3:Add both results,35+24=59,add carry 4
59+4=63,note 3,carry 6
Step 4:Cross multiply,7x3=21 and 5x4=20
Step 5:Add both the results,21+20=41 and
carry 6,41+6=47,note 7 and carry 4
Step 6:Multiply 3x4=12 and add carry4
12+4=16,hence result is 16732
 347x658=?
Step 1:Multiply 7x8=56,note 6 and carry 5
Step 2:Cross multiply 4x8=32 and 7x5=35
Step 3:Add the results,32+35=67, add carry 5
67+5=72,Note 2,carry 7
Step 4:Cross multiply,3x5=15 and 4x6=24
Step 5:Add the results,25+24=39,add carry 7
39+6=46,note 6 and carry 4
Step 6:Cross multiply,3x8=24 and 7x6=42
Step 7:Add the both results,24+42=66,add 4
66+4=70,note 0,carry 7
Step 8:Multiply 3x6=18 and carry 7,18+7=25
Hence, the result is 25026
 4256x57=?
Step1:Multiply 7x6=42,note 2,carry 4
Step 2:Cross multiply 5x6=30 and 5x7=35
Step 3:Add the above two results,30+35=65
and add carry 4,65+4=69,note 9 and carry 6
Step 4:Cross multiply 2x7=14 and 5x5=25
Step 5:A the above two results,14+25=39 and
Add carry 6,39+6=45,note 5 and carry 4
Step 6:Cross multiply,7x4=28 and 5x2=10
Step 7:Add the above two results,28+10=38
and add carry 4,38+4=42,note 2 and carry 4
Step 8:Multiply 5x4=20 and add carry 4,
20+4=24
Hence the result is 242592
 36x47=?
Step 1:Multiply 36 with the 1st digit of 2nd
number, i.e 4,36x4=144
Step 2:Add 0 to the extreme right of the
result,1440
Step 3:Multiply 36 with the 2nd digit of the
second number, i.e 7,36x7=252
Step 4:In final step,add the two results,
1440+252=1692
 93x67=?
Step 1:Multiply 93 with the 1st digit of 2nd
number, i.e 6,93x6=558
Step 2:Add 0 to the extreme right of the
result,5580
Step 3:Multiply 93 with the 2nd digit of the
second number, i.e 7,93x7=651
Step 4:In final step,add the two results,
5580+651=6231
 118x116=?
Step 1:Multiply 118 with 1,118x1=118
Step 2:Add 00 to the extreme right of the
result,11800
Step 3:Multiply 118 with 1,118x1=118
Step 4:Add 0 to the extreme right of the
result,1180
Step 5:Multiply 118 with 6,118x6=708
Step 6:Add the above results to get the final
result,11800+1180+708=13688
 117x109=?
Step 1:First of all substract 100 from both the
numbers,117-100=17,109-100=9
Step 2:Mulpiply both the numbers,17x9=153,
note 53,carry 1
Step 3:Add the both number with carry 1
17+9+1=27
Step 4:Add 100 with the result,100+27=127
Step 5:Get the final result by writing the noted
digit to the right of the result,12753
 Multiplication of number with 5
64x5=?
STEP 1:Multiply the number with 10,64x10=640
Step 2:Divide the result by 2,640/2=320 to get
the answer
 Multiplication of the number 25
73x25=?
STEP 1:Multiply the number with
100,73x100=7300
Step 2:Divide the result by 4 to get the answer,
7300/4=1825
 Multiplication of the number 50
43x50=?
STEP 1:Multiply the number with
100,43x100=4300
Step 2:Divide the result by 2 to get the answer,
4300/2=2150
Multiplication of the number 125
63x125=?
STEP 1:Multiply the number with 1000
Step 2:Divide the result by 4 to get the answer,
63x000/4=15750
 Multiplication of the number 9
 2137x9=?
 Step 1:Add 0 at end of the number,21370
 Step 2:Sustract number from the above
result,21370-2137=19233
 Multiplication of the number 11
1243x11=?
STEP 1:Keep the extreme digits as such.
Step 2:Add sequentially the twin digits from
right.
Answer:13673, 85132x11=? Ans.936452
 Multiplication of the number 13
1234x13=?
Step :Put 0 at both sides of the number.012340
Step 2:Multiply with each digit plus succeeding
digit, thus begin from left.
4x3+0=12,note 2 carry 1
3x3+4=13+1=14,note 4,carry 1
2x3+3=9+1=10,note 0,carry 1
1x3+2=5+1=6,note 6,
0x3+1=1,note1,Answer:16042
 Multiplication of the number 99
78x99=?
Step 1:Multiply the number with
100,78x100=7800
Step 2:Substract the number from the result to
get the answer,7800-78=7722
 Multiplication of specific numbers
84x86=(85-1)(85+1)=85²-1²=7225-1=7224
81x79=(80+1)(80-1)=80²-1²=6400-1=6399
 If two numbers differs by 10 or multiples of
10 and ends with 5
35x 45=?
Step 1:Add 1 with 1st digit of 2nd number,4+1=5,
Step 2:Multiply the 1st digit of 1st
number,5x3=15
Step 3:Extend 75 to the result ,Hence answer
is 1575
8+1=9,9x5=45,Ans.4575
 1st digit of two numbers are same and sum of
second digit is 10
55x85=?
8+1=9,9x5=45,Ans.4575
 1st digit of two numbers are same and sum of
second digit is 10
81x89=?
Step 1:Increase 1st digit by unity,8+1=9
Step 2:Multiply the result with 1st digit,9x8=72
Step 3:Multiply 2nd digits of numbers,9x1=9
Step 4:Take digit 0,before the single digit
result, Answer is 7209
 Multiplication of numbers ending with zeros
 150000x9000=?
 Step 1:Simply multiply non zero
digits,15x9=135
 Step 2:Add total zeros to the right of the
result,
Ans.1350000000
 DIVISIBILITY TEST SHORTCUT TRICKS
 Divisibility of a number by 2
 Divisibility of a number by 3
 Divisibility of a number by 4
 Divisibility of a number by 5
 Divisibility of a number by 6
 Divisibility of a number by 8
 Divisibility of a number by 9
 Divisibility of a number by 10
 Divisibility of a number by 11
 Divisibility of a number by 13
 Divisibility of a number by 15
 Divisibility of a number by 17
 Divisibility of a number by 19
 Divisibility of a number by 23
 Divisibility of a number by 29
 Divisibility of a number by 31
 Divisibility of a number by 37
 Divisibility of a number by 41
 Divisibility of a number by 43 and 47
 A number is divisible by 2 if the last digit of
the number is 0 or even number e.g 30,52
 A number is divisible by 3,if the sum digits
of the number is divisible by 3,e.g 861,36
 A number is divisible by 4,if the last two
digits are 00 or is divisible by 4,e.g 200,728
 A number is divisible by 5,if the last digit is 5
or 0.e.g 860,365
 A number is divisible by 6,if if the number is
divisible both by 3 and 2,e.g 984
 A number is divisible by 7,if by subtracting 2
times of the last digit from the rest is
divisible by 7. e.g 371,1x2=2,37-2=35 which
is divisible by 7
 A number is divisible by 8,if the last 3 digits
are 000 or is divisible by 8. e.g 21000,24256
In the second no last 3 digits,256/8=32
 A number is divisible by 9,if the sum all digits
of the number is divisible by 9,e.g 36,864
6+3=9/9=1,8+6+4=18/9=2
 A number is divisible by 10,if the last digit of
the number is 0.e.g 860,30
 A number is divisible by 11,if the difference
of sum of even places and odd places digit is
0.e.g 1236431460.(1+3+4+1+6)-
(2+6+3+4+0)=15-15=0
 A number is divisible by 12,if it divisible by
both 3 and 4;e.g 864,(8+6+4)/3 and 4/4=1
 A number is divisible by 13,if by adding 4
times the last digit of remaining leading
number is divisible by13.e.g 50661
5066+1x4=5070. 507+4x0=507,50+7x4=78/13
 A number is divisible by 15,if the number both
divisible by 3 and 5,e.g 870
 A number is divisible by 17,if by subtracting 5 times
the last digit from remaining leading truncated
number is divisible by 17.e.g.3978
397-(8x5)=357,35-7x5=0
 A number is divisible by 19,if by adding 2 times the
last digit of remaining leading truncated number is
divisible by 19.e.g
101156,10115+12=10127,1012+14=1026,
102+12=114,11+8=19
 A number is divisible by 23,if by adding 7 times the
last digit to remaining leading number is divisible by
23.e.g.17043,1704+21=1725,172+35=207,20+49=69
A number is divisible by 29,if by adding 3
times the last digit of remaining leading
truncated number is divisible by 29.e.g 15689
1568+27=1595,159+15=174,17+12=29
 A number is divisible by 31,if by subtracting 3
times the last digit of remaining leading
number is divisible by 31.e.g 7998,799-
24=775,77-15=62
 A number is divisible by 37,if by subtracting
11 times the last digit of remaining leading
number is divisible by 37.e.g 23384,2338-
44=2294,229-44=185
A number is divisible by 41,if by subtracting 4
times the last digit of remaining leading
number is divisible by 41.e.g 30873,3087-
12=3075,307-20=287;28-28=0
 A number is divisible by 43,if by adding 13
times the last digit of remaining leading
truncated number is divisible by 43.e.g
3182,318+26=344,34+52=86
 A number is divisible by 47,if by subtracting
14 times the last digit of remaining leading
truncated number is divisible by 47.e.g
34827,3482-98=3384,338-56=282,28-28=0
 DIVISION OF LARGER NUMBER SHORTCUT
TRICKS: The division may be speedily
calculated, whatever complicated it may be.
Let x/y=z, here x is numerator and y is
denominator z is a value per unit. Our aim is
to find the value of z as quick as possible.
For this purpose, division expression or
fraction may be simplified easily if both the
numerator and denominator will be
increased/decreased proportionately.
For this we adopt base number concept to
denominator. If it is 2 digit may be multiple
of 10,for 3 digits, multiple of 100 etc. To
explain we may take different examples.
 3996/78=?
Step 1:3996+4/78+2=4000/80=50
Step 2:3996+100/80=4096/80=51.2
 79267/21089=?
In case of five digit number, we may keep
three digits neglecting remaining digit
792/210=800/200=4
79267/21089=792/210=792-40/210-10
=752/200=3.76
 67825/3829,here we have neglect 01 digit
from denominator, same to be neglected fom
numerator also.
6782/382=7000/400=17.5=17(approx)
6782/382=6782+18x17/400=7088/400=17.72
 You have been advised to remember at
least square of numbers from 1 to 25.On
the basis of this concept, we may apply
several shortcut methods.
 Base Method:50,100,200,300,1000 etc.
Each base method is applicable within
range of 50
 Applying formula (a+b)2=a2+2ab+b2

 Squaring of numbers ending with 6

50 Base Method:
382=?
Step 1:Find the how much less is the number
of number from 50 ,50-38=12
Step 2:Take the square of the
result,122=144,note 44 and carry 1
Step 3:Subtract 12 from 25,25-12=13 and add
carry 1,13+1=14
Step 4:Take the result and exend by noted
digits,answer is 1444
 532=?
Step 1:Find the how much excess is the
number over number from 50 ,53-50=3
Step 2:Take the square of the result,32=9,note
09 by inserting an extra zero before 9
Step 3:Add 3 with 25,25+3=28
Step 4: Write the answer by writing 09 to the
right of the result 28,Thus our answer is 2809
Similarly, by this we find the square of
say,56,63,39,36 etc.
 100 Base Method:
962=?
Step 1:Find the how much less is the number
of number from 100 ,100-96=4
Step 2:Take the square of the result,42=16
Step 3:Subtract 4 from 96,96-4=92
Step 4:Write the result,92 and exend the
previous result 16,i.e answer is 9216.
972=?
100-97=3,32=9,write 0 to left of 9,09,97-
3=94,Answer is 9409
 882=?
100-88=12,122=144,note,44,carry1,88-
12=76,76+1=77
Answer is 7644
1042=?
Step 1:Find the how much excess is the number
over number from 100 ,104-100=4
Step 2:Take the square of the result,42=16
Step 3:Add 4 with 104,104+4=108
Step 4: Write the answer by writing 16 to the right
of the previous result 16,Thus our answer is 10816
 1122=?
112-100=12,122=144,note 44,carry 1.Add 12
with 112,112+12=124,add carry 1,124+1=125,
Answer is 12544
 Base 200 Method:
175²=?
200-175=25,25²=625,note 25 and carry 6 ,
175-25=150,150x2=300,300+6=306,Ans.30625
 Base 300 Method:
282²=?
300-282=18,18²=324,note 24,carry 3
282-18=264,264x3=792,792+3=795,Ans.79524
312²=?
312-300=12,12²=144,note 44,carry 1
 312+12=324,324x3=972,972+1=973,Ans.97344
 Base 1000 Method:
1015²=?,
1015-1000=15,15²=225,1015+15=1030,
Ans.1030225
994²=?
1000-994=6,6²=36,994-6=988,Ans.988036
Base 10000 Method:
10009²=? 9²=81,10018081
9996²=?,4²=16,9992016
 Square of any number by may be determined
by taking the help of specific algebraic
formula,(a+b)2 =a2+2ab+b2
2122=?
Step 1:Take a=2,b=12,follow the format
a2/2ab/b2
Step 2:Find b2=122=144,keep 44,carry 1
Step 2:Find 2ab=2x2x12=48,add carry
1,48+1=49
Step 3:Find a2=22=4
Step 4:Write answer,44944
 Square of a number ending with a digit 6
146²=?
Step 1:Find the square of the prior to the
number in the question.145²=21025
Step 2:Add the number to its prior number,
145+146=291
Step 3:Add the result with the previous result,
21025+291=21316
196²=38416
CUBES OF NUMBERS:
We may find the cubes of any number by the
taking the help of the algebraic
formula,(a+b)3=a3+3a2b+3ab2+b3,Further you
should keep cubes of 1-10 in the mind
 123=?
Take a=1 and b=2
Step 1:Find b3=8
Step 2:Find 3ab2=12,keep 2,carry 1
Step 3:Find 3 a2b=6,add carry 1,6+1=7
Step 4:Find a3=1,Hence answer is,1728
263=?
Take a=2 and b=6,applying above method,
23/3x22x6/3x2x62/63=8/72/216/216
=17,576
 533=?
Here a=5 b=3
53/3x52x3/3x5x32/33=125/225/135/27
=148,877
Cube of three digit number:
1123=?
Start pairing of number from right,a=1,b=12
and applying cube formula
1/36/432/1728,Keep two digit at each place
and carry forward the rest to the left places
gradually,1404928
 SQUARE ROOT TRICKS:
On analysis the squares of the numbers from 1-
10,
12=1,22=4,32=9,42=16,52=25,62=36,72=49,82=64,
92=81,102=100
It is evident from the above that the numbers
The perfect square number must end with the
digit 0,1,4,5,6 and 9
√576=?
Step 1:Pair from right,76 and 5
 Step 2:The unit digit square root of the
above number ending with the digit 6 may be
4 or 6.
 Step 3: Remaining number 22<5<32,hence we
may take the least number 2 as the tens digit
of the square root.
 Step 4:Multiply 2 with next consecutive
number,2x3=6,
 Step 5:The first number 5<6,hence we may
take least digit 4,as the unit digit of the
square root,Hence answer is 24
 √1024=?
The unit digit of square root may be 2 or 8
32<10 <42.we may take 3 as the tens digit of
square root
3x4=12,10<12,take,2 as the unit digit square
root of the number,Hence answer is 32
√11449=?
Unit digit may be 3 or 7, 102<114<112, 1st part
of square root is 10,10x11=110,114>110,so unit
digit of square root is 7,Hence answer is 107
 On memorizing,13=1,23=8,33=27,43=64,53=125,
63=216,73=343,83=512,93=729,103=1000
The unit digit of cube root of a number ending
with 1 is 1,8 is 2,7 is 3,4 is 4,5 is 5,6 is 6,3 is
7,2 is 8,9 is 9 and 0 is 0.
17281/3 =?
Step 1:Make triplet from right,728 and 1
Step 2:Unit digit is 2 from the part 728
Step 3:Tens digit is 1 for the part 1
Hence ,answer is 12
 175761/3=?
Make triplet from right 576 and 17
Here unit digit of cube root is 6,
23<17<33,so tens digit of cube root is 2
Hence, answer is 26
4389761/3 =?
Making triplet from right 976 and 438
Unit digit of the root is 6, 73<438<83 so tens
digit is 7,
Hence answer is 76
-xox-