Recently in social networks, a description ultralight and simple method of multiplication, which because of its unusual appearance called the “multiplication on sticks”. Its origin is not known, but most often it is associated with ancient Japan or China.
The method just sticks or lines. The original number is broken into its constituent numerals, then in the field apply the appropriate number of lines. For each digit provided their sector, and the second number is applied at an angle to the first. The task is to mark all the intersections of the lines, to write those numbers which automatically are added to the solution of the problem. Just like that.
It is easy to see that the methods designed for straight-line perception of information – while the lines a little, the reason is easy to understand, but look what happens when you try to multiply 9 and 8. Meanwhile, already in ancient times people had to carry out the calculations, which featured values much larger than the number of fingers.
It is likely that the entire method – it’s someone’s elaborate joke: all references to “multiplication on sticks” is not older than 20 years, that is, the time of active life of the Internet. The same “Russian method” described much earlier and in more detail, here are all articles refer to each other. But it is impossible not to note the positive effect of widely dispersed video – it attracted the attention of the people, and for some time was interested in this math.
Source — Popular Mechanics