Johnny Ball Explains How to Use the Russian Multiplication Method

In today's lesson, Johnny Ball will teach you how to multiply the Russian way.
Derya Ozdemir

You've probably been multiplying the same way since you were a child, but today is the day where you try something new with the beloved Johnny Ball. 

This video by the amazing mathematics channel Numberphile shows you how you can multiply the Russian way. Apparently, peasants in a remote area of Russia were discovered multiplying numbers using a very unusual process in the 1800s and the trend took from there. 

The method uses a process of halving and doubling without using the multiplication operator. Like our multiplication and division, the Russian way is also an algorithm. Who would have known that translating the product from decimal into binary notation was the way to go?

It may not be as quick as the multiplication method that we use today, however, it is still fun to try.

In addition to that, who doesn't love Johnny Ball? Tune in even if you don't like mathematics because he will definitely make you fall in love with numbers. 

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