Train your brain to perform incredible mathematical feats almost effortlessly with these amazing maths tricks that will make your friends think you’re a genius!
Learn a couple of party tricks and mental math shortcuts that’ll have you multiplying big numbers almost as fast as you can type them into a calculator.
All you need is a willing volunteer and a calculator, and you’ll soon be the smartest person in the room!
Easy Maths Party Tricks
ALWAYS 1089
- Write 1089 on a piece of paper, fold it up and give it to a friend.
2. Ask the friend to write down a 3 digit number where the first and last numbers are different. eg. 345
3. Ask them to reverse the number and subtract the smaller number from the bigger number.
543 – 345 = 198
4. Reverse that new answer and add the two numbers together.
891 + 198 = 1089
The answer should be 1089!
One small rule..
If the subtraction in step 3 results in a 2 digit number, you need to add a 0 to the start. So 99, becomes 099 and reversing it makes 990.
Magical Multiplying
Ask a friend to think of a 3 digit number.
Ask the same friend to multiply the number by 7, 11 and 13.
??? x 7 x 11 x 13
Ask them to tell you the answer. You know the original number they chose as it is repeated twice in the answer!
123 x 7 x 11 x 13 =123,123
Mental Mathematics Shortcuts
Multiply by 9 using your hands
This simple trick only works for the 9 times table up to 9 x 10.
- Hold up your fingers in front of you.
- To calculate 9 x 3, put down the third finger on your left hand.
- Count the fingers to the left of the folded finger, this is the first digit of the answer.
- Count the fingers to the right of the folded finger, this is the second digit of the answer.
9 x 3 = 27
Multiply by 11
Multiplying any number 11 is simple with this clever trick.
Let’s use 25 x 11 as an example.
- Add the two digits together. 2 +5 = 7
- Place the 7 between the 2 and the 5.
- The answer is 275.
It is slightly trickier when the sum of the numbers is 10 or more.
If we use 57 x 11 as an example, all you need to do is carry the first digit over to the answer.
5 + 7 = 12
The answer is ( 5 + 1 ) 27 – 627
Multiply any number by 5 in 3 seconds
Multiplying by 5 sounds easy, but it can get tricky once you hit the big numbers. This hack makes it easy!
Instead of multiplying by 5, divide by 2 and multiply by 10.
As an example, let’s use 66.
66/2 = 33
33 x 10 = 330
Last Updated on July 9, 2026 by Emma Vanstone
