Mental calculators are people with a prodigious ability in some area of mental calculation, such as multiplying large numbers or factoring large numbers. Mental calculation comprises mathematical Calculations using only the Human brain, with no help from a Calculator or Computer, or Pen In Mathematics, factorization ( also factorisation in British English) or factoring is the decomposition of an object (for Some rare mental calculators are autistic savants, with a narrow area of great skill and poor mental development in other directions, but many are people of normal mental development who have simply developed advanced calculating ability. Savant syndrome —sometimes abbreviated as savantism —is not a recognized medical diagnosis but researcher Darold Treffert defines it as a rare condition in which persons with A good many are also experienced mathematicians, linguists, writers, and so on. A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study and research is the field of Mathematics. Linguistics is the scientific study of Language, encompassing a number of sub-fields
Mental calculators were in great demand in research centers such as CERN before the advent of modern electronic calculators and computers. The European Organization for Nuclear Research (Organisation Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire known as CERN See, for instance, the 1983 book The Great Mental Calculators, whose introduction was written by Hans Eberstark. Hans Eberstark is an Austrian linguist translator and Mental calculator.
Some of the world's best mental calculators gather every two years to compete for the Mental Calculation World Cup. Mental Calculation World Cup is an international competition of Mental calculators Mental Calculation World Cup 2004 The first Mental Calculation World Cup was
Michael O'Boyle, an American psychologist previously working in Australia and now at Texas Tech University, has recently used MRI scanning of blood flow during mental operation in mathematical prodigies to display startling results. Mental health professional A psychologist is a practitioner of Psychology, the systematic investigation of the mind including Behavior, Cognition, For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Blood is a specialized Bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's cells such as nutrients and oxygen—and transports Waste products These math prodigies achieve blood flow to parts of the brain responsible for mathematical operations at six to seven times the typical flow (see Cognitive Brain Research, October, 2005). The brain is the center of the Nervous system in animals All Vertebrates and the majority of Invertebrates have a brain
Contents |
In Frank Herbert's novel Dune, specially trained mental calculators known as Mentats have replaced mechanical computers completely. Willem Klein ( 4 December 1912 &ndash 1 August 1986) also known as Wim Klein or under his stage names Pascal and Alexis Claude Lemaire (born 1980 is a French computer scientist and Mental calculation champion who holds world records for mentally calculating the integer 13th root Daniel McCartney ( September 10, 1817 - November 15, 1887) was a man who may have had what is now known as Hyperthymesia. Truman Henry Safford ( 6 January 1836 - 13 June 1901) was an American Calculating prodigy. Daniel Paul Tammet (born 31 January 1979 is a British high-functioning Autistic savant gifted with a facility for mathematical and Natural language Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr ( October 8 1920 &ndash February 11 1986) was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American Dune is a Science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert and published in 1965. A Mentat is a profession or discipline in Frank Herbert 's Fictional ''Dune'' universe. Several important supporting characters in the novel, namely Piter De Vries and Thufir Hawat, are Mentats. Piter De Vries is a Fictional character from the ''Dune'' universe created by Frank Herbert. Thufir Hawat is a Fictional character in the ''Dune'' universe created by Frank Herbert.
Andrew Jackson "Slipstick" Libby is a calculating prodigy in Robert A. Heinlein's story Misfit. Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7 1907 – May 8 1988 was an American Novelist and Science fiction Writer.
In Haruki Murakami's novel Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, a class of mental calculators known as Calcutecs perform cryptography in a sealed-off portion of their brains, the results of which they are unable to access from their normal waking consciousness. is a popular contemporary Japanese Writer and Translator. His work has been described by the Virginia Quarterly Review as "easily accessible is a 1985 Novel by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami. The English translation by Alfred Birnbaum was released in 1991 Cryptography (or cryptology; from Greek grc κρυπτός kryptos, "hidden secret" and grc γράφω gráphō, "I write"
In the Fox television show Malcolm in the Middle, Malcolm Wilkerson displays astounding feats of automatic mental calculation, which causes him to fear his family will see him as a "freak," and causes his brother to ask, "Is Malcolm a robot?"
In Darren Aronofsky's film, Pi, Maximillian Cohen is asked a few times by a young child with a calculator to do large multiplications and divisions in his head, to which he promptly answers. Malcolm in the Middle was a seven-time Emmy Award -winning one-time Grammy -winning He had run off and married a good-natured Canadian woman This is a list of characters in the American television comedy series Malcolm in the Middle, which was originally televised from 2000-2006 on the Fox Network. Darren Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American Film director, Screenwriter
The Mental Calculation World Cup is an international competition to attempt to find the world's best mental calculator, and also the best at specific types of mental calculation, such as multiplication or calendar reckoning. Mental Calculation World Cup is an international competition of Mental calculators Mental Calculation World Cup 2004 The first Mental Calculation World Cup was
The top three calculators from the inaugural championships, held in 2004, were:
| 1 | |
|---|---|
| 2 | |
| 3 |
The top three calculators from the second championships, held in 2006, were:
| 1 | |
|---|---|
| 2 | |
| 3 |
The Mind Sports Olympiad has staged an annual world championships since 1997. Jan van Koningsveld (born 1969 in Emden) is a Mental calculator. Jan van Koningsveld (born 1969 in Emden) is a Mental calculator. Gert Mittring (born in Stuttgart on May 26, 1966) is a German Mental calculator. The Mind Sports Organisation (MSO is a vehicle for
| 1997 | |
|---|---|
| 1998 | |
| 1999 | |
| 2000 | |
| 2001 | |
| 2002 | |
| 2003 | |
| 2004 | |
| 2005 | |
| 2006 | |
| 2007 |
The Mind Sports Organisation recognises three grandmasters of mental calculation: Robert Fountain (1999), George Lane (2001) and Gert Mittring (2005). George Lane (born 1964) is a British " Mental calculator " and author John Hellyar Rickard (born 27 January 1940) is a former Chief Economic Advisor to the British Government. George Lane (born 1964) is a British " Mental calculator " and author George Lane (born 1964) is a British " Mental calculator " and author Gert Mittring (born in Stuttgart on May 26, 1966) is a German Mental calculator. Gert Mittring (born in Stuttgart on May 26, 1966) is a German Mental calculator. Gert Mittring (born in Stuttgart on May 26, 1966) is a German Mental calculator. Gert Mittring (born in Stuttgart on May 26, 1966) is a German Mental calculator. The Mind Sports Organisation (MSO is a vehicle for George Lane (born 1964) is a British " Mental calculator " and author Gert Mittring (born in Stuttgart on May 26, 1966) is a German Mental calculator.