Scott Flansburg, known as the “Human Calculator,” gave an hour presentation on Jan. 17 to Academy students in grades three to six to encourage math learning. Flansburg amazed students with his skills and techniques to solve math problems. He shared with the students secrets of numbers to turn on their mental calculators and taught them how to quickly and accurately answer addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems.
When he was nine years old, Flansburg discovered his mental abilities in the fourth grade after his teacher gave him a math problem to answer and he solved it without writing down the calculations.
“My fourth grade teacher asked me to spell the number from zero to nine. I was more interested in knowing why the numbers looked the way they did,” said Flansburg.
Flansburg found out that the numbers’ shapes were based on how many angles were in the shape. He also noticed that same numbers only had four letters in them . When his finger counted zero to four on his left hand and five to nine on his right hand to form what we call “shakas,” he discovered his book ends to counting and the basis for solving math problems efficiently and accurately.
At the age of 27, Flansburg began using his mental math abilities in entertainment and education. On the “Live with Regis and Kathy Lee” show, he was given the name “Human Calculator.” Flansburg was also registered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest human calculator in 2001 and 2003 when he beat the fastest accountant in the world to add the same number to itself in 15 seconds with his mind than the accountant with a calculator.
Flansburg wrote a book in 1998 and another in 2004. He travels around the world and visits schools to give presentations.
“The most popular language on the planet is math,” he said.
Flansburg has given lectures at NASA , IBM, the Smithsonian Institution and the Mental Calculation World Cup. Flansburg is also the ambassador for World’s Math Day and promoter of the American Math Challenge.
“The most interesting thing I saw was when ‘Human Calculator’ went outside and then we thought of a three-digit subtraction problem, then we found the three-digit answer. He came back in the room and just by looking at our faces he found the answer because his favorite number was 9 and the answer was 495, so 4+5=9 and then there is a 9 in the middle. I learned many tricks from him and I hope he comes back to teach us some more tricks,” said fourth grader Brianna Choy.
“All numbers have a pattern and all you need to do is find it,” explained Flansburg.
Flansburg and the students enjoyed his math presentation yesterday.
“Today I learned patterns, methods and strategies I never knew before! I was amazed beyond what I thought would happen! I thought he was going to teach us how to memorize the sums, factors, multiples and so on. He looked at the math problems in a way that I would never had done. I will definitely use these strategies in the future! The ‘Human Calculator’ is a genius!” said fourth grader Mahina Cole.
“You have one of the most beautiful school campuses I have ever seen. Please have an attitude of gratitude about your school and your community,” said Flansburg.
Flansburg closed his presentation with pictures and autographs.
“Scott the ‘Human Calculator’ was amazing. It was very inspiring when he was telling us that we can do what he does if we practice hard enough. It was amazing when he was also showing us tricks to numbers. Now I believe I can do math a whole lot easier. When I walked out of the room, I was thinking of just one thing, ‘Wow!’” said fourth grader Maile Mercier.
“I can’t wait to go home so I can teach my parents and sister how to be a ‘human calculator.’ One day I hope I will be as smart as him,” said fourth grader Alyse Glaser.
“I am inspired by Scott Flansburg, and recommend everyone to watch him in person or on YouTube. You rock, Scott Flansburg!” said fifth grader Agia Lee.
