MathChat

How to Multiply by 25 in Your Head

This is a simple trick that anyone can easily learn. It is just a trick for
multiplying a number by 25.

If someone asked you what 25 times 36 equals, you’d probably be tempted
to reach for a calculator and start punching buttons. But remarkably, you’d
probably be able to work it out even faster in your head.

Since 25 is one-fourth of 100, multiplying by 25 is the same thing as
multiplying by 100 and dividing by 4. Or, even more simply:
first divide by 4, then add two zeros.

Here’s the example:

Problem: 36 x 25
First divide 36 by 4 to get 9.
Then add two zeros to get: 900.
That, amazingly enough, is the answer.

Another example: 88 x 25
First divide 88 by 4 to get 22.
Then add two zeros to get: 2,200.

Now try these problems in your head:

a) 25 x 12
b) 25 x 28
c) 25 x 48
d) 25 x 60
e) 25 x 84
f) 25 x 96

Here are the answers:
a) 300
b) 700
c) 1,200
d) 1,500
e) 2,100
f) 2,400

But, you say, what if the number you start with is not divisible by 4.
No problem. Just use this fact:
if the remainder is 1, that is the same as 1/4 or .25
if the remainder is 2, that is the same as 2/4 or .50
if the remainder is 3, that is the same as 3/4 or .75

So take a problem like this: 25 x 17
dividing 17 by 4, you get 4 remainder 1.
But that is the same as 4.25
Now just move the decimal right two places (same as multiplying by 100)
Answer is: 425

Another example: 25 x 18
dividing 18 by 4, you get 4 remainder 2.
But that is the same as 4.50
Now move the decimal right two places.
Answer: 450

Another example: 25 x 19
dividing 19 by 4, you get 4 remainder 3.
But that is the same as 4.75
Now move the decimal two places to the right.
Answer is: 475

Now try these in your head:
A) 25 x 21
B) 25 x 26
C) 25 x 35
D) 25 x 42
E) 25 x 63
F) 25 x 81

And here are the answers:

A) 525
B) 650
C) 875
D) 1,050
E) 1,575
F) 2,025