Math tricks can feel like sorcery, and today, we’re diving into one of the coolest hacks for multiplying numbers by 99. This trick is so simple and effective, it’ll have your friends asking, “How did you do that?!”
The Secret Behind 99 trick
The key to this trick is breaking down the math into two simple steps. Let’s say you’re multiplying 95 × 99. Here’s what you do:
- Subtract 1 from the number (left side – 95 you get 94) .
- Subtract the result (94) from 99 to get the last two digits.
- Combine the two parts for the final answer.
Step-by-Step Example: 95 × 99
Let’s solve this together:
- Subtract 1 from 95:
95−1=94 - Subtract 94 from 99:
99−94=05 - Combine the two results:
9405
Boom! You’ve got the answer without breaking a sweat.
Try It Yourself!
Here are some more examples to practice:
76 × 99:
- Subtract 1:
76−1=75 - Subtract 75 from 99:
99−75=24 - Answer:
7524
- Subtract 1:
43 × 99:
- Subtract 1:
43−1=42 - Subtract 42 from 99:
99−42=57 - Answer:
4257
- Subtract 1:
Pro Tip
This trick works perfectly for any two-digit number multiplied by 99. And once you master it, you can even adapt it to numbers like 999 or 9999 with slight variations.
Your Turn
Let’s see how quickly you can calculate 64 × 99. Try the trick and share your answer in the comments below!