Choosing the Faster Way: Counting On, Counting Back, or Counting Up

Think about where you have seen this before. A wise worker picks the right tool before starting. A hammer is useless on a screw, no matter how hard you swing it. This is worth learning because choosing the right method saves more time than working faster ever will.

Watch for it today, and when you spot it, tell someone what you noticed and how you knew. Take a deep breath and look at this. Three strategies, and each fits a different problem. Counting on works for adding a small number.

Counting back works for taking away a small number. Counting up works when the two numbers are close, like 12 minus 9, where you start at nine and count up to twelve: three steps. Look at the numbers before you choose. Picking well is what makes a mathematician quick, not counting faster.

One caution. Do not choose a strategy because it is the one you used last time. Look at these numbers, today, and pick what fits them. A good workman looks at the job before choosing the tool, and so does a good mathematician. When you get it right, say thank You to God, who gave you that thinking mind.