Trachtenberg system

The Trachtenberg system is a system of rapid [mental calculation]. The system consists of a number of readily memorized operations that allow one to perform arithmetic computations very quickly. It was developed by the Russian Jewish engineer Jakow Trachtenberg in order to keep his mind occupied while being held in a Nazi concentration camp. The rest of this article presents some methods devised by Trachtenberg. These are for illustration only. To actually learn the method requires practice. Students begin learning the Trachtenberg system using multiplication algorithms. These initial algorithms are discussed first followed by a more general method for multiplication. Even if you know well how to do arithmetic, the Trachtenberg method can be faster. It is also a method you may use to check work done by more traditional methods.


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