On 21 Jun 2012 01:55:09 GMT, notbob wrote:

On 2012-06-21, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

Shift the decimal point.

Which direction?

Divide by? To the left, obviously; make the number smaller.

I know, I know, but wanted to keep it braindead simple. I think jes
about anyone can divide by 10.

Well, that's how I divide by 10. It's a *lot* easier.

I did two things that sharpened in-my-head math skills, despite my
taking algebra and trig all thru mid/hi school. I kept score at
bowling and learned to count change back to cash customers. Man,
those bowlers want their updated score before the pins even stop
falling.

I used to be able to estimate a complicated engineering problem to at least
one or two significant digits. Then ('73) I bought a scientific calculator.
The skill was gone within a couple of years. Now I get fouled up on the order
of magnitude (though I can tell when I get it totally wrong). Children using
calculators in school is nuts.