The Rule for 3: A Unique Pattern

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The rule for multiplying by 9 is: Subtract the digit from 10 (or 9) and add the neighbor.

  • Rightmost Digit: Subtract from 10.
  • Middle Digits: Subtract from 9, then add the neighbor.
  • Leading Zero: Take the neighbor minus 1.

Example: Multiply 423 by 9

Add a leading zero: 0423.

  1. Digit 3: 103=710 - 3 = 7. Write 7.
  2. Digit 2: (92)+3=10(9 - 2) + 3 = 10. Write 0, carry 1.
  3. Digit 4: (94)+2+1 (carry)=8(9 - 4) + 2 + 1~(\text{carry}) = 8. Write 8.
  4. Digit 0: 41=34 - 1 = 3. Write 3.

The final answer is 3,807.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you subtract from 10 for the first digit, but 9 for the others?

This is a core concept in Trachtenberg's subtraction methods. It's a way to handle 'borrowing' without thinking about it. Subtracting the units digit from 10 is the base operation. Subtracting all subsequent digits from 9 accounts for the 'borrow' that would have occurred from that position in traditional math.

Is this rule related to the common 'casting out nines' trick?

Yes, in a way. Both are based on the mathematical properties of the number 9 in a base-10 system. The fact that 9 is '10 minus 1' is what allows for these kinds of subtraction-based shortcuts.

What is the final step 'neighbor - 1' for the leading zero?

This is the final step of the algorithm. After adding a leading zero, you apply the 'subtract from 9, add neighbor' rule to it: (9 - 0) + neighbor = 9 + neighbor. This would incorrectly inflate the answer. The 'neighbor - 1' is a simplified and corrected final step that gives the proper leftmost digit of the product.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you subtract from 10 for the first digit, but 9 for the others?

This is a core concept in Trachtenberg's subtraction methods. It's a way to handle 'borrowing' without thinking about it. Subtracting the units digit from 10 is the base operation. Subtracting all subsequent digits from 9 accounts for the 'borrow' that would have occurred from that position in traditional math.

Is this rule related to the common 'casting out nines' trick?

Yes, in a way. Both are based on the mathematical properties of the number 9 in a base-10 system. The fact that 9 is '10 minus 1' is what allows for these kinds of subtraction-based shortcuts.

What is the final step 'neighbor - 1' for the leading zero?

This is the final step of the algorithm. After adding a leading zero, you apply the 'subtract from 9, add neighbor' rule to it: (9 - 0) + neighbor = 9 + neighbor. This would incorrectly inflate the answer. The 'neighbor - 1' is a simplified and corrected final step that gives the proper leftmost digit of the product.