Multiplying very large numbers using Napier’s Bones

 

Jay has been finding out about Napier’s Bones. John Napier was a famous Scottish Mathematician and he made strips out of bone, which he wrote numbers on, to use to work out multiplication. Jay made a set of his own out of card and can use them to quickly do multiplying sums like 236 345 x 4.

Look at the photos to see what sum he did.

It’s fascinating!

Jay spotted the pattern he used to write the numbers on each “bone.” Can you see the order John Napier used?

 

 

 

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