Chinese Stick Multiplication (from 11BC to present)

Human beings evolved about 200,000 years ago as Homo Sapiens in Africa. The research suggests that humans were only be able to process addition and subtraction until around 4000 years ago when multiplication and division emerged.

The Chinese recorded the use of the stick multiplication method in 11BC. This enabled them to multiply big numbers. This method is still taught in their elementary schools. On the internationally recognized PISA test among 15 year olds in 33 countries, the USA ranks 32nd ahead of Ireland. China is number one. One of my conjectures for why this is true is that the Chinese teach place value better than any other country and the USA’s math education does a very poor job. This stick method allows children to see place value with clarity. It is all about counting intersections.

One key element is to draw the sticks diagonally at at 45 degree angle. Count each intersection where the sticks cross and record your subtotal below the point of intersection. The sticks are placed reading the numbers from left to right. Each place value can only handle one digit so, starting with the one’s place, the tens are carried to the next place value to the left.

Please use the attached pdf to understand this method and practice. There are examples multiplying one digit numbers, two digit numbers, and three digit numbers. There is a game on the last few pages for the 3-6th graders. The first and second graders may want to just focus on single digit multiplication while the third and fourth graders will want to do two and three digit multiplication. 5th and 6th graders and other ambitious Mathletes may want to enter into 4 and 5 digit multiplication. You may want to use a ruler.

Big challenge for 5-6th graders: Human heartbeats per minute average 60 and longevity worldwide averages 72 years. If you were able to multiply 60 x 60 x 24 x 365 x 72 you would get the total heartbeats in a lifetime (the 60 x 24 x 365 represent the number of minutes in a year).

Please give your children multiplication problems a few times a day to use this method.