When did the multiplication become something to learn by heart and which im

Subject: When did the multiplication become something to learn by heart and which im

Date: Mon May 14 14:21:44 2001
Posted by Mikael
Grade level: undergrad School: college (engineering and psychology)
City: Borås State/Province: No state entered. Country: Sweden
Area of science: Science History
ID: 989864504.Sh

Message:


When did one realize that multiplication was better to learn by heart, than with 
some algorithms (I mean of course 1-10 or perhaps 12), like the "russian 
farmer"?
And why was this such a breakthrough in math-history (as I understand it was)?
I can see the advantage to simplify calculations, but how did one came up with 
the idea to spend a long investment time learning it to gain results in future?

Re: When did the multiplication become something to learn by heart and which im

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