THERE IS A WAY OF MULTIPLYING BY NINES ON YOUR HANDS.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS HOLD UP YOUR TEN FINGERS AND PICK THE NUMBER
THAT YOU WANT TO MULTIPLY NINE BY AND THEN YOU PUSH DOWN THAT FINGER.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT TO MULTIPLY NINE BY THREE YOU WOULD PUT
DOWN YOUR THIRD FINGER.
ON ONE SIDE OF THIS THIRD FINGER YOU WOULD HAVE TWO FINGERS HELD
UP, ON THE OTHER SIDE YOU WOULD HAVE SEVEN FINGERS HELD UP,
THEREFORE YOUR ANSWER WOULD BE TWENTY-SEVEN.

Data entry tech comment:

Uodated by TRD on 10.11.13

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HUNTINGTON WOODS

Keyword(s): Arithmetic, Mathematics, Multiplication, Trick, Memory, Aid, Learning, Tool, Fingers,

James Callow Keyword(s): MULTIPLICATION ON FINGERS

Subject headings:

686 686.1.9
Favorites
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Number P686.3.9
SPEECH -- Gesture

Date learned: 02-22-1979

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MULTIPLICATION IS VEXATION,
DIVISION IS AS BAD,
THE RULE OF THREE DOTH PUZZLE ME,
AND PRACTICE DRIVES ME MAD.

Submitter comment: WRITTEN IN HER MOTHER'S ARITHMETIC BOOK FROM CLEVELAND, OHIO
DATED 1957.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MARYGROVE COLLEGE ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): DIALOGUE ; HUMOR ; MATHEMATICS ; QUATRAIN

Subject headings:

Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Wisecracks, Gags, Silly Insults

Date learned: 03-00-1968

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Entry filtered.

Ethnic Joke

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

Can pick any three ethnic groups to use, but one has
to be the "brunt of the joke."
Three guys are in a bar. One is Polish, another is
Italian, and the last one is German. There are three
girls sitting at the other end of the bar. The guys
decide they want to impress the girls with their
knowledge of drinks. The Italian says, "Give me an
RC." The girls say, "Oh what's that?" The bartender
says, "Rum and Coke". The German says, "Give me a
W&W." The girls say, "Oh what's that?" The bartender
says, "Whiskey and Water." The Polish guy says, "Give
me a 15." The girls say, "Oh what's that?" The bartender
says, "What's that?" The Polish guy says, "7&7."

Where learned: ITALY ; SICILY

James Callow Keyword(s): Mathematics--addition

Subject headings:

PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote
BELIEF -- Poli

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Numerology

If you are not sure of a true or false answer on a test, take the number of the question, divide it by 2 (drop the fraction if there is one), and add 7 to that number. If the final answer is even, then the answer to the question is true, and if odd, the answer is false.

Data entry tech comment:

Motif submitted by TRD.

Where learned: APARTMENT

Keyword(s): Cheat ; MATHEMATICS ; NUMEROLOGY ; TEST ; True or False

James Callow Keyword(s): NUMEROLOGY

Subject headings:

BELIEF -- Use of Object

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Nine Times Tables

Easy way to multiply by nine:

1x9=9

2x9=18

3x9=27

4x9=36

5x9=45

6x9=54

7x9=63

8x9=72

9x9=81

Count from one to eight for the first didgits top down, and then again from the bottom up (for the second digits).

Data entry tech comment:

Possible name variations for Collector: Cuisloh, Crisloh, Cisloh

Possible name variations for Informant: Frabiky, Frabilsy, Zrabiky, Zrabilsy

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Arithmetic ; Calculation ; Cheat ; COUNTING ; MATHEMATICS ; MULTIPLICATION ; Multiplication Tables ; NUMBERS

Subject headings:

CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Numbers System of counting Calculation

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Mnemonic Device

When one is having problems spelling the word arithmetic, just remember the sentence: "A Rat In The House May Eat The Ice Cream."

Submitter comment:

Informant's teacher told this to him when he was in third grade in 1956 at St. Francis D'Assisi School in Detroit, MI.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

BN V300 used due to previous entries/classifications using the same mnemonic device.

James Callow comment:

Mnemonic Device; Spelling

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Arithmetic ; MATHEMATICS ; MEMORY ; MNEMONIC ; SCHOOL ; SPELLING

James Callow Keyword(s): Mnemonic Device ; SPELLING

Subject headings:

ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM
PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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Mnemonic Device

The following sentence has been used in grade schools in aiding the memory of spelling arithmetic: A Rat In The House May Eat The Ice Cream.

Submitter comment:

During the informant's grade school years (1961-3) at Beard School in Detroit this mnemonic device was used.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

BN V300 was chosen because of previous entries and classifications with this exact mnemonic device.

James Callow comment:

The original BN [C534] is crossed out and the word Mnemonic is written next to it.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Arithmetic ; MATHEMATICS ; MEMORY ; MNEMONIC ; Mnemonic Device ; SCHOOL ; SPELLING

James Callow Keyword(s): Mnemonic Device ; SPELLING

Subject headings:

ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM
PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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Spelling Aid

Arithmetic: A Rat In Tom's House May Eat Tom's Ice Cream.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

BN V300 and MNEM chosen due to previous/existing classification of such entries using the same mnemonic device.

James Callow comment:

Original BN [A784] Crossed out and replaced with the term Mnemonic Device.

Submission Card was located in a pile marked To Be Classified.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Arithmetic ; EDUCATION ADVICE ; MATHEMATICS ; MEMORY ; Mnemonic Device ; SPELLING

Subject headings:

ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM
PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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Mnemonic Device

ARITHMETIC = A Rat In The House Might Eat The Ice Cream.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs and BN added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original Bn [C890] crossed out.

Submission card located in pile marked [?]

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Arithmetic ; MATHEMATICS ; MEMORY ; MNEMONIC ; Mnemonic Device ; SCHOOL ; SPELLING

James Callow Keyword(s): Mnemonic Device ; SPELLING

Subject headings:

ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM
PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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Proverb

Figures don't lie but Liars can figure.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GARDEN CITY

Keyword(s): Deduce ; Figure ; Liar ; Lie ; MATHEMATICS

Subject headings:

PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

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DOES X EQUAL Y

GIVEN X=Y? ADD 2
X+2=X+2
X**2+4X+4=Y**2+4Y+4 SQUARE BOTH SIDE
X**2-Y**2=4Y-4X REARRANGE TERMS
(X-Y)(X+Y)=-4(X-Y) FACTOR
(X-Y)(X+Y)/(X-Y)=-4(X-Y)/(X-Y) DIVIDE BOTH SIDES
X+T=-4; X=-4-Y; THEREFORE X DOESN'T EQUAL Y

Submitter comment:

HE LEARNED THIS IN HIGH SCHOOL

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Math ; MATHEMATICS ; PUZZLE ; RIDDLE

Subject headings:

RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 10-31-1967

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