Mental Math Kids Can't Resist!: Tips, Short-cut... May 2026

This is how our brains naturally read, so it feels more intuitive than the "stacking" method. 5. Squaring Numbers Ending in 5 This one makes kids look like absolute geniuses. The Trick: To square a number like 25, 35, or 75: The answer always ends in 25.

At a restaurant, ask them to mentally calculate the 10% or 20% tip before you look at the receipt. Mental Math Kids Can't Resist!: Tips, Short-cut...

This is a lifesaver for multiplication tables that haven't been memorized yet. It simplifies complex problems into manageable ones. This is how our brains naturally read, so

Round one number to the nearest ten to make it "friendly," solve the problem, and then adjust. Example: For 38 + 25 , turn 38 into 40 (by adding 2). The Math: . Now, take away that extra 2 you added earlier. The Trick: To square a number like 25,