Program Details*

Title

Don't Slow Me Down with that Calculator...Mental Math Methods

Description

Learn to master a multitude of little-known, super-shortcut computational methods involving addition, subtraction, fractions, squaring and multiplication. Unfortunately, our country consistently finishes among the bottom third of industrialized countries in the annual mental math competition for students. Learning these strategies and methods will leave your calculator-dependent friends in the dust!

Presenter’s Name

Cliff Petrak

Presenter’s Bio

Cliff Petrak retired after 40 years of teaching math at Brother Rice H.S. in Chicago. I am author of a book detailing 62 shortcut methods dealing with addition, subtraction, fractions, squaring and multiplication. I have spoken in 16 states and Canada to various groups at over 130 math conferences, schools and libraries. Mental math is my passion!

*Note: The information above is a draft provided by the presenter and may be different in the HalloweeM Program Booklet.

Date/Time/Location†

Friday at 11 AM in Birch

†Note: The date, time & location listed in our PAAG (when it becomes available) supersedes the date, time & location listed here, if different. The hotel layout for HalloweeM can be found here.

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pgmInfo.php last updated October 27, 2026.