Here are some fundamental rules, not to become filthy rich, but live a comfortable life.
The ones in bold are ones that I religiously follow, or at least try to.
1.For return on investment, the best home renovation is to upgrade an old bathroom. Kitchens come in second.
2.It's worth refinancing your mortgage when you can cut your interest rate by at least one point.
3.Spend no more than 2 1/2 times your income on a home. For a down payment, it's best to come up with at least 20%
4.Your total housing payments should not exceed 28% of your gross income. Total debt payments should come in under 36%
5.Never hire a roofer, driveway paver or chimney sweep who is going door to door.
6.All else being equal, the best place to invest is a 401(k). Once you've earned the full company match, max out a Roth IRA. Still have money to invest? Put more in your 401(k) or a traditional IRA.
7.To figure out what percentage of your money should be in stocks, subtract your age from 120.
8.Invest no more than 10% of your portfolio in your company stock - or any single company's stock, for that matter.
9.The most you should pay in annual fees for a mutual fund is 1% for a large-company stock fund, 1.3% for any other type of stock fund and 0.6% for a U.S. bond fund.
10.Aim to build a retirement nest egg that is 25 times the annual investment income you need.
11.If you don't understand how an investment works, don't buy it.
12.If you're not saving 10% of your salary, you aren't saving enough.
13.Keep three months' worth of living expenses in a bank savings account or a high-yield money-market fund for emergencies. If you have kids or rely on one income, make it six months'.
14.Aim to accumulate enough money to pay for a third of your kids' college costs. You can borrow the rest or use some of your income to help out when your child is in college.
15.You need enough life insurance to replace at least five years of your salary – as much as 10 years if you have several young children or significant debts.
16.When you buy insurance, choose the highest deductible you can afford. It's the easiest way to lower your premium.
17.The best credit card is a no-fee rewards card that you pay in full every month. But if you carry a balance, high-interest rates will wipe out the benefits.
18.The best way to improve your credit score is to pay bills on time and to borrow no more than 30% of your available credit.
19.Anyone who calls or e-mails you asking for your Social Security number or information about your bank or credit card account is a scam artist.
20.The best way to save money on a car is to buy a late-model used car and drive it until it's junk. A car loses 30% of its value in the first year.
21.Lease a new car or truck only if you plan to replace it within two or three years.
22.Resist the urge to buy the latest computer or other gadget as soon as it comes out. Wait three months and the price will be lower.
23.Buy airline tickets early because the cheapest fares are snapped up first. Most seats go on sale 11 months in advance.
24.Don't redeem frequent flier miles unless you can get more than a dollar's worth of air fare or other stuff for every 100 miles you spend.
25.When you shop for electronics, don't pay for an extended warranty. One exception: It's a laptop and the warranty is from the manufacturer.
Friday, April 30, 2010
The Manager's Cheat Sheet: 101 Common-Sense Rules for Leaders
BODY LANGUAGE
Like it or not, your body speaks volumes, even when you are silent. Here's how to express an attitude that's appropriate for a leader.
1. Stand tall. Keeping your shoulders back and holding yourself up to your full height will give you an air of confidence.
2. Take your hands out of your pockets. Putting your hands in your pockets is often seen as a sign that you have something to hide.
3. Stand with your arms crossed behind your back. This will help you adjust your posture, and it leaves your hands in a position that is open and not intimidating.
4. Make eye contact. Always look directly into the eyes of the people you are speaking with. This shows you're interested and also gives you a sense of confidence.
5. Sit up straight. Even if you're at an 8 a.m. meeting and feeling tired, it's important to sit up straight in your chair. Slouching makes you look disinterested and can give off an unwanted air of laziness.
6. Face the person you're talking to. This shows you are interested and engaged in the conversation.
7. Shake hands firmly. For many, a handshake is a reflection of the person you're shaking hands with. You don't want to come across as unsure or overbearing, so make sure yours is professional and confident.
8. Always smile. Smiles are contagious and will make others feel positive when you're around.
9. Look your best. You don't have to be model perfect every day, but you should dress appropriately and neatly. Clothes can have a big impact on the way you're perceived.
10. Walk confidently. Keep your head up and take even strides.
MEETING DEADLINES
No one will be happy if your team has to rush around at the last minute to complete a project. Follow these tips to make deadlines less stressful for everyone.
11. Only promise what you can realistically deliver. Don't create deadlines that you know you can't meet. By only promising what you know you can do, you'll be able to finish on time.
12. Set clear goals. Once you know what you need to accomplish, it helps to know how and when you want to do it. Put your goals down on paper and make sure everyone on your team gets a copy.
13. Organize a team. Many of your employees will have unique strengths and training that can make them great assets to certain projects. Pick a team that has the right skills to carry out the job.
14. Delegate tasks. Spread work among your employees in a way that doesn't leave anyone overburdened while also allowing the project work smoothly.
15. Create milestones. Creating milestones for you and your team will help you keep track of your progress and also give you a sense of accomplishment as you reach each milestone.
16. Keep communication open. Keeping everyone in touch with the status of the project is key to making sure it's completed on time.
17. Do it right the first time. Planning ahead will help prevent you from delivering a substandard product. Having to redo something for a client costs money, and, more than likely, future business opportunities.
18. Stay organized. Staying organized will help keep you from wasting time chasing down important documents and information.
19. Make sure expectations are clear. Be sure that each member of your team knows what their specific responsibilities are. This will save time and prevent tasks from being overlooked.
20. Create a plan. Compile your goals and milestones into a comprehensive plan for attacking any project you are given. This way, you can make sure you're staying on schedule and that all of your employees will be clear about how and when things should be done.
GETTING ALONG WITH EMPLOYEES
A happy office is a productive one. Everyone will be more cheerful if you follow these simple rules.
21. Don't make your employees come in on days they're normally not scheduled to work or call them while they're on vacation. A surefire way to make employees resent you is to invade their personal time for nonpressing work. Unless you have something that absolutely has to be done, let time away from work stay that way.
22. Don't play favorites. Playing favorites can bias your judgment and impair your leadership abilities. Treat your employees equally.
23. Give credit when it's due. Don't take credit for your employees' ideas or hog their limelight. This action not only fosters resentment but also makes you seem untrustworthy.
24. Don't micromanage. While it's fine to keep up with what your employees are working on, don't constantly look over their shoulders.
25. Never discuss employee matters with their co-workers. This kind of gossip always gets back to the person and will make you look unprofessional.
26. Don't interfere with employees' work. If your employees are getting work done, don't stress about how it gets done. Even if it's not being done they way you'd do it, it's best to let employees use their best judgment.
27. Don't push unreasonable deadlines. You don't want to spend all of your time at the office, and neither do your employees.
28. Keep your promises. Barring some catastrophic event, you should always keep promises you make to employees, especially about pay and benefits.
29. Keep work about work. Don't require employees to run your personal errands. Take care of your own personal business or hire an assistant.
30. Reward hard work. Make sure your employees feel valued for the work that they do. Employees will be more willing to put in extra effort if they know it's noted and appreciated.
31. Provide motivation. Sometimes employees need a morale boost. Provide them with encouragement to get a project rolling.
MANAGE YOURSELF
Being a good manager isn't just about what you can encourage other people to do, it's also about managing your own performance.
32. Be accessible. Don't hole up in your office all day — come out and visit with your employees. Let them know that they can always come to you with problems and concerns.
33. Be open to constructive criticism. It may not always be what you want to hear, but listening to constructive criticism gives you the chance to learn and grow from your mistakes.
34. Accept responsibility. Part of being the boss is accepting responsibility for the mistakes of all that you manage, not just your own.
35. Know there's always room for improvement. No matter how good you think you are, your job can always be done better. Always be willing to learn.
36. Improve your skills. Learning is a lifelong process. You're never too old to take a class or ask a co-worker to help you improve your knowledge.
37. Explain things simply. Don't use big words or technical jargon just to sound smart and impress others. Your employees will understand and perform better if you explain simply and clearly what you need.
38. Instruct rather than order. You may be the boss, but you don't have to be bossy. You'll have more success if your requests are more tactfully delivered.
39. Include your staff in your plans. Don't make your work top secret; let your employees know what's going on and how they are expected to contribute.
40. Know your subordinates' jobs. You don't want to be caught with inferior job knowledge.
41. Be flexible. It's fine to be firm in what you expect, but allow for flexibility in how it gets done.
42. Get regular feedback. Your employees and superiors can give you valuable feedback on how to improve your performance. Use this to your advantage.
43. Know your limitations. You can't be everywhere doing everything all at once. Know the limits of your time and abilities and say no to things you know you can't do.
BOOSTING PRODUCTIVITY
Getting the most out of your day can be difficult with a busy schedule, but you can use these tips to help you maximize your time in order to be better available to employees.
44. Get the most out of meetings. Be organized and prepared for meetings to increase effectiveness and time savings.
45. Focus your energy on things that matter. Don't let trivial tasks take time away from things that are really important.
46. Identify your time-stealers. Everyone has little things that detract their attention and make them lose focus. Figure out what these are and work to eliminate them, if only for a few hours a day.
47. Be punctual. Being on time is a big deal. Never keep people waiting for appointments or meetings if you can help it.
48. Respond to your correspondence within a reasonable amount of time. You don't have to be chained to your inbox, but make sure you respond to emails within a few hours whenever possible.
49. Do only what is necessary. There are times when going above and beyond works, but doing so on a daily basis can derail your progress on more important issues. Get the key things done first, then see if you have time for additional things.
50. Stick to schedules and routines. While they may not be the most exciting things, schedules and routines can help streamline and improve your productivity.
51. Organize and manage your schedule. Use any tools and utilities you have at your disposal to prioritize your day and keep track of what you need to get done.
52. Plan more than you think you can do. While this may sound stressful, it can actually be a great motivator. If you manage to get everything done, you'll enjoy a great sense of achievement.
53. Get to work early on occasion. Sometimes an uninterrupted half hour in an unoccupied office can help you get key things done or allow you to plan your day before there are any distractions to slow you down.
54. Know that sometimes stress is good. While too much of anything, especially stress, can be bad, sometimes a little stress can be the motivation to get you moving, allowing you to get more done.
55. Do your least favorite tasks first. Get your most tedious and least desirable tasks out of the way earlier in the day. After that, everything else will be a breeze.
MANAGING FINANCE AND RESOURCES
Whether you're a business owner or a manager, staying on top of tangible items is vital to success. These tips can help you keep track.
56. Set up a realistic budget. While it's good to be optimistic, don't plan for more spending than you know you can afford. Make sure you plan for emergencies and contingencies as well.
57. Save costs where they matter the most. Don't just pinch pennies for the present. Make sure your savings will pay off in the long run. Compromising on quality might cost you later on in repairs and replacements.
58. Spend only when it's necessary. Don't spend if you don't need to. Every bit you save goes toward your profit.
59. Find alternative sources of finance. Sometimes even successful businesses need a little help. Business loans and investors can help you through leaner times.
60. Stay true to your contracts. Not only will you gain the respect of your clients, you'll also avoid legal battles that can be a serious financial drain.
61. Make sure employees are well compensated. Employees deserve to be rewarded for hard work. Make sure yours are well compensated for their time and they'll be more productive and happier to come to work.
62. Learn to do more with less. Quality is much more important than quantity, so make what you have count.
63. Assign equipment wisely. While it might be nice for every employee to have a PDA, budgets often don't allow for such conveniences. Make sure the employees that need tools the most have access to them.
64. Invest in solid technology. This doesn't always mean the latest technology, but what your office needs to do work effectively.
65. Update when necessary. Using obsolete equipment and programs can really slow you down. Update when it makes sense so you won't get left behind by competitors.
66. Don't be wasteful. Every sheet of paper, paper clip and pen is a cost on your budget. Use materials wisely and don't waste them out of haste or carelessness.
COMMUNICATING WITH CLIENTS
Whether you're a business owner or a manager carrying out a project, one thing is always the same: The client is dominant voice in decision-making. Learn to communicate with them effectively and you'll set a good example for the people you supervise.
67. Remember that the customer is the boss. At the end of the day, your job is to make the customer happy. Act accordingly.
68. Differentiate your products. Don't get lost in a sea of products and services like yours. Make sure you stand out from your competitors.
69. Retain customers as much as you recruit new ones. While you always want to bring in new business, it's very important to maintain relationships with loyal customers.
70. Provide effective channels of communication. Make sure your clients can contact you easily and quickly if they have a problem, concern or question. They can also provide a valuable source of feedback.
71. Maintain customer data. Use this data to make your customers feel special by remembering occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. It's also helpful for keeping track of purchasing preferences.
72. Segment your customers. Not all customers are alike. Divide your customers into groups that allow you to provide attention and services that meet each customer's unique needs.
73. Provide effective after-sales services. Don't let contact fall off after the work is complete. Make sure your client stays happy.
74. Listen attentively. Pay attention to exactly what clients are asking for to help you better meet their needs.
75. Don't be afraid to say you don't know. It's OK not to know the answer to every question. It's better to say you don't know and get back to a customer than to try to bluff your way through a conversation and have to backtrack later.
KEEP UP WITH THE CHANGE
There is no way to stop the world from changing, so follow these tips to keep up and ahead of the game.
76. Don't fight change. You can't stop markets, trends and technology from changing, so learn to go with the flow.
77. Adopt a predictive managerial style. Don't wait for things to happen to make a move. Anticipate problems and provide contingency plans.
78. Test your contingency plans. Waiting for disaster to strike is a dangerous way to find out if your emergency plans will hold. Test them out from time to time to fine-tune them and make sure they're still relevant.
79. Identify the positives. Even the most negative changes can have positive aspects to them. Being able to identify and maximize them can help make adapting less painful.
80. Be quick to adapt. Learn to adapt to changing situations quickly and be able to change plans on the spur of the moment if the situation requires it.
81. Stay tuned to external factors. Your business is affected in many ways by outside factors. Keep abreast of these so you can anticipate any sudden market changes that would affect how you need to manage.
82. Put in place a Research and Development plan. Encourage innovation and creativity to stay ahead of the demand for newer and better products and services.
83. Keep an eye on the competition. Don't let the competition get the best of you. Keep up-to-date with what they're doing and use it to your advantage in managing your business.
RESOLVING PROBLEMS
Whether problems are internal or external, they can make your management duties a nightmare if you don't handle them correctly. Here's how to stay on top of them.
84. Stand up for employees. If other departments or managers are bearing down hard on your employees, stand up for them.
85. Fix what's broken. Don't waste time placing blame. Take care of fixing the problem before dealing with any possible repercussions.
86. Manage and control your emotions. Don't let anger or frustration affect your problem resolution. If you are emotionally invested in a situation, cool down before discussing it or bring in an outside mediator.
87. Learn when to step in. Some problems might resolve themselves if you just let them be, but you need to be aware of times where you'll need to step in and take control of a situation.
88. Take the blame. If you've made a mistake, fess up. It'll give you more time to work on fixing the problem instead of talking your way out of taking the rap.
89. Get the facts first. Before you pass judgment on a situation, make sure you have the whole story. Listen to employees and refrain from questioning anyone's integrity without first ensuring that you've gathered all the data.
90. Rise above the crisis. Learn to separate yourself from the problem and rise above the fray. You'll be able to think more clearly and make a better decision on how to rectify the issue.
91. Don't ignore problems. A small problem can easily snowball and become something much more difficult to fix.
92. Try to depersonalize problems. Let employees know that the problem isn't with them but with their actions. Don't make it personal.
GO ABOVE AND BEYOND
Managing people isn't just about getting the job done. To truly be a great leader, sometimes you need to go above and beyond what the job calls for.
93. Lead by example. You can talk until you're blue in the face, but the best way to get a point across is to be the model to emulate. Let employees follow your lead.
94. Get your hands dirty. Sometimes you need to show your employees that no one's above doing unattractive tasks.
95. Make a difference to your employees. Don't just be a generic manager — stand out as a leader and role model for your employees.
96. Gain your employees' trust and respect. You'll have a much easier time managing employees when they respect your rules and boundaries and trust your leadership.
97. Be empathetic to personal problems. Whether it should or not, what happens outside of work can have a big affect on the quality of work produced. Be sensitive if employees have personal issues that keep them from concentrating on work.
98. Be unique as a manager. Every position demands something different and you should be proud to be adept at your particular role rather than trying to emulate other managers.
99. Remember that ethics matter above all. Be honest and reliable in all of your business and personal relationships.
100. Be on the lookout for new ideas. You never know where your next great inspiration will come from.
101. Get to know your employees. Learn more than just their names. Get to know your employees' family backgrounds, likes and dislikes. Doing so will make you more personable.
Like it or not, your body speaks volumes, even when you are silent. Here's how to express an attitude that's appropriate for a leader.
1. Stand tall. Keeping your shoulders back and holding yourself up to your full height will give you an air of confidence.
2. Take your hands out of your pockets. Putting your hands in your pockets is often seen as a sign that you have something to hide.
3. Stand with your arms crossed behind your back. This will help you adjust your posture, and it leaves your hands in a position that is open and not intimidating.
4. Make eye contact. Always look directly into the eyes of the people you are speaking with. This shows you're interested and also gives you a sense of confidence.
5. Sit up straight. Even if you're at an 8 a.m. meeting and feeling tired, it's important to sit up straight in your chair. Slouching makes you look disinterested and can give off an unwanted air of laziness.
6. Face the person you're talking to. This shows you are interested and engaged in the conversation.
7. Shake hands firmly. For many, a handshake is a reflection of the person you're shaking hands with. You don't want to come across as unsure or overbearing, so make sure yours is professional and confident.
8. Always smile. Smiles are contagious and will make others feel positive when you're around.
9. Look your best. You don't have to be model perfect every day, but you should dress appropriately and neatly. Clothes can have a big impact on the way you're perceived.
10. Walk confidently. Keep your head up and take even strides.
MEETING DEADLINES
No one will be happy if your team has to rush around at the last minute to complete a project. Follow these tips to make deadlines less stressful for everyone.
11. Only promise what you can realistically deliver. Don't create deadlines that you know you can't meet. By only promising what you know you can do, you'll be able to finish on time.
12. Set clear goals. Once you know what you need to accomplish, it helps to know how and when you want to do it. Put your goals down on paper and make sure everyone on your team gets a copy.
13. Organize a team. Many of your employees will have unique strengths and training that can make them great assets to certain projects. Pick a team that has the right skills to carry out the job.
14. Delegate tasks. Spread work among your employees in a way that doesn't leave anyone overburdened while also allowing the project work smoothly.
15. Create milestones. Creating milestones for you and your team will help you keep track of your progress and also give you a sense of accomplishment as you reach each milestone.
16. Keep communication open. Keeping everyone in touch with the status of the project is key to making sure it's completed on time.
17. Do it right the first time. Planning ahead will help prevent you from delivering a substandard product. Having to redo something for a client costs money, and, more than likely, future business opportunities.
18. Stay organized. Staying organized will help keep you from wasting time chasing down important documents and information.
19. Make sure expectations are clear. Be sure that each member of your team knows what their specific responsibilities are. This will save time and prevent tasks from being overlooked.
20. Create a plan. Compile your goals and milestones into a comprehensive plan for attacking any project you are given. This way, you can make sure you're staying on schedule and that all of your employees will be clear about how and when things should be done.
GETTING ALONG WITH EMPLOYEES
A happy office is a productive one. Everyone will be more cheerful if you follow these simple rules.
21. Don't make your employees come in on days they're normally not scheduled to work or call them while they're on vacation. A surefire way to make employees resent you is to invade their personal time for nonpressing work. Unless you have something that absolutely has to be done, let time away from work stay that way.
22. Don't play favorites. Playing favorites can bias your judgment and impair your leadership abilities. Treat your employees equally.
23. Give credit when it's due. Don't take credit for your employees' ideas or hog their limelight. This action not only fosters resentment but also makes you seem untrustworthy.
24. Don't micromanage. While it's fine to keep up with what your employees are working on, don't constantly look over their shoulders.
25. Never discuss employee matters with their co-workers. This kind of gossip always gets back to the person and will make you look unprofessional.
26. Don't interfere with employees' work. If your employees are getting work done, don't stress about how it gets done. Even if it's not being done they way you'd do it, it's best to let employees use their best judgment.
27. Don't push unreasonable deadlines. You don't want to spend all of your time at the office, and neither do your employees.
28. Keep your promises. Barring some catastrophic event, you should always keep promises you make to employees, especially about pay and benefits.
29. Keep work about work. Don't require employees to run your personal errands. Take care of your own personal business or hire an assistant.
30. Reward hard work. Make sure your employees feel valued for the work that they do. Employees will be more willing to put in extra effort if they know it's noted and appreciated.
31. Provide motivation. Sometimes employees need a morale boost. Provide them with encouragement to get a project rolling.
MANAGE YOURSELF
Being a good manager isn't just about what you can encourage other people to do, it's also about managing your own performance.
32. Be accessible. Don't hole up in your office all day — come out and visit with your employees. Let them know that they can always come to you with problems and concerns.
33. Be open to constructive criticism. It may not always be what you want to hear, but listening to constructive criticism gives you the chance to learn and grow from your mistakes.
34. Accept responsibility. Part of being the boss is accepting responsibility for the mistakes of all that you manage, not just your own.
35. Know there's always room for improvement. No matter how good you think you are, your job can always be done better. Always be willing to learn.
36. Improve your skills. Learning is a lifelong process. You're never too old to take a class or ask a co-worker to help you improve your knowledge.
37. Explain things simply. Don't use big words or technical jargon just to sound smart and impress others. Your employees will understand and perform better if you explain simply and clearly what you need.
38. Instruct rather than order. You may be the boss, but you don't have to be bossy. You'll have more success if your requests are more tactfully delivered.
39. Include your staff in your plans. Don't make your work top secret; let your employees know what's going on and how they are expected to contribute.
40. Know your subordinates' jobs. You don't want to be caught with inferior job knowledge.
41. Be flexible. It's fine to be firm in what you expect, but allow for flexibility in how it gets done.
42. Get regular feedback. Your employees and superiors can give you valuable feedback on how to improve your performance. Use this to your advantage.
43. Know your limitations. You can't be everywhere doing everything all at once. Know the limits of your time and abilities and say no to things you know you can't do.
BOOSTING PRODUCTIVITY
Getting the most out of your day can be difficult with a busy schedule, but you can use these tips to help you maximize your time in order to be better available to employees.
44. Get the most out of meetings. Be organized and prepared for meetings to increase effectiveness and time savings.
45. Focus your energy on things that matter. Don't let trivial tasks take time away from things that are really important.
46. Identify your time-stealers. Everyone has little things that detract their attention and make them lose focus. Figure out what these are and work to eliminate them, if only for a few hours a day.
47. Be punctual. Being on time is a big deal. Never keep people waiting for appointments or meetings if you can help it.
48. Respond to your correspondence within a reasonable amount of time. You don't have to be chained to your inbox, but make sure you respond to emails within a few hours whenever possible.
49. Do only what is necessary. There are times when going above and beyond works, but doing so on a daily basis can derail your progress on more important issues. Get the key things done first, then see if you have time for additional things.
50. Stick to schedules and routines. While they may not be the most exciting things, schedules and routines can help streamline and improve your productivity.
51. Organize and manage your schedule. Use any tools and utilities you have at your disposal to prioritize your day and keep track of what you need to get done.
52. Plan more than you think you can do. While this may sound stressful, it can actually be a great motivator. If you manage to get everything done, you'll enjoy a great sense of achievement.
53. Get to work early on occasion. Sometimes an uninterrupted half hour in an unoccupied office can help you get key things done or allow you to plan your day before there are any distractions to slow you down.
54. Know that sometimes stress is good. While too much of anything, especially stress, can be bad, sometimes a little stress can be the motivation to get you moving, allowing you to get more done.
55. Do your least favorite tasks first. Get your most tedious and least desirable tasks out of the way earlier in the day. After that, everything else will be a breeze.
MANAGING FINANCE AND RESOURCES
Whether you're a business owner or a manager, staying on top of tangible items is vital to success. These tips can help you keep track.
56. Set up a realistic budget. While it's good to be optimistic, don't plan for more spending than you know you can afford. Make sure you plan for emergencies and contingencies as well.
57. Save costs where they matter the most. Don't just pinch pennies for the present. Make sure your savings will pay off in the long run. Compromising on quality might cost you later on in repairs and replacements.
58. Spend only when it's necessary. Don't spend if you don't need to. Every bit you save goes toward your profit.
59. Find alternative sources of finance. Sometimes even successful businesses need a little help. Business loans and investors can help you through leaner times.
60. Stay true to your contracts. Not only will you gain the respect of your clients, you'll also avoid legal battles that can be a serious financial drain.
61. Make sure employees are well compensated. Employees deserve to be rewarded for hard work. Make sure yours are well compensated for their time and they'll be more productive and happier to come to work.
62. Learn to do more with less. Quality is much more important than quantity, so make what you have count.
63. Assign equipment wisely. While it might be nice for every employee to have a PDA, budgets often don't allow for such conveniences. Make sure the employees that need tools the most have access to them.
64. Invest in solid technology. This doesn't always mean the latest technology, but what your office needs to do work effectively.
65. Update when necessary. Using obsolete equipment and programs can really slow you down. Update when it makes sense so you won't get left behind by competitors.
66. Don't be wasteful. Every sheet of paper, paper clip and pen is a cost on your budget. Use materials wisely and don't waste them out of haste or carelessness.
COMMUNICATING WITH CLIENTS
Whether you're a business owner or a manager carrying out a project, one thing is always the same: The client is dominant voice in decision-making. Learn to communicate with them effectively and you'll set a good example for the people you supervise.
67. Remember that the customer is the boss. At the end of the day, your job is to make the customer happy. Act accordingly.
68. Differentiate your products. Don't get lost in a sea of products and services like yours. Make sure you stand out from your competitors.
69. Retain customers as much as you recruit new ones. While you always want to bring in new business, it's very important to maintain relationships with loyal customers.
70. Provide effective channels of communication. Make sure your clients can contact you easily and quickly if they have a problem, concern or question. They can also provide a valuable source of feedback.
71. Maintain customer data. Use this data to make your customers feel special by remembering occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. It's also helpful for keeping track of purchasing preferences.
72. Segment your customers. Not all customers are alike. Divide your customers into groups that allow you to provide attention and services that meet each customer's unique needs.
73. Provide effective after-sales services. Don't let contact fall off after the work is complete. Make sure your client stays happy.
74. Listen attentively. Pay attention to exactly what clients are asking for to help you better meet their needs.
75. Don't be afraid to say you don't know. It's OK not to know the answer to every question. It's better to say you don't know and get back to a customer than to try to bluff your way through a conversation and have to backtrack later.
KEEP UP WITH THE CHANGE
There is no way to stop the world from changing, so follow these tips to keep up and ahead of the game.
76. Don't fight change. You can't stop markets, trends and technology from changing, so learn to go with the flow.
77. Adopt a predictive managerial style. Don't wait for things to happen to make a move. Anticipate problems and provide contingency plans.
78. Test your contingency plans. Waiting for disaster to strike is a dangerous way to find out if your emergency plans will hold. Test them out from time to time to fine-tune them and make sure they're still relevant.
79. Identify the positives. Even the most negative changes can have positive aspects to them. Being able to identify and maximize them can help make adapting less painful.
80. Be quick to adapt. Learn to adapt to changing situations quickly and be able to change plans on the spur of the moment if the situation requires it.
81. Stay tuned to external factors. Your business is affected in many ways by outside factors. Keep abreast of these so you can anticipate any sudden market changes that would affect how you need to manage.
82. Put in place a Research and Development plan. Encourage innovation and creativity to stay ahead of the demand for newer and better products and services.
83. Keep an eye on the competition. Don't let the competition get the best of you. Keep up-to-date with what they're doing and use it to your advantage in managing your business.
RESOLVING PROBLEMS
Whether problems are internal or external, they can make your management duties a nightmare if you don't handle them correctly. Here's how to stay on top of them.
84. Stand up for employees. If other departments or managers are bearing down hard on your employees, stand up for them.
85. Fix what's broken. Don't waste time placing blame. Take care of fixing the problem before dealing with any possible repercussions.
86. Manage and control your emotions. Don't let anger or frustration affect your problem resolution. If you are emotionally invested in a situation, cool down before discussing it or bring in an outside mediator.
87. Learn when to step in. Some problems might resolve themselves if you just let them be, but you need to be aware of times where you'll need to step in and take control of a situation.
88. Take the blame. If you've made a mistake, fess up. It'll give you more time to work on fixing the problem instead of talking your way out of taking the rap.
89. Get the facts first. Before you pass judgment on a situation, make sure you have the whole story. Listen to employees and refrain from questioning anyone's integrity without first ensuring that you've gathered all the data.
90. Rise above the crisis. Learn to separate yourself from the problem and rise above the fray. You'll be able to think more clearly and make a better decision on how to rectify the issue.
91. Don't ignore problems. A small problem can easily snowball and become something much more difficult to fix.
92. Try to depersonalize problems. Let employees know that the problem isn't with them but with their actions. Don't make it personal.
GO ABOVE AND BEYOND
Managing people isn't just about getting the job done. To truly be a great leader, sometimes you need to go above and beyond what the job calls for.
93. Lead by example. You can talk until you're blue in the face, but the best way to get a point across is to be the model to emulate. Let employees follow your lead.
94. Get your hands dirty. Sometimes you need to show your employees that no one's above doing unattractive tasks.
95. Make a difference to your employees. Don't just be a generic manager — stand out as a leader and role model for your employees.
96. Gain your employees' trust and respect. You'll have a much easier time managing employees when they respect your rules and boundaries and trust your leadership.
97. Be empathetic to personal problems. Whether it should or not, what happens outside of work can have a big affect on the quality of work produced. Be sensitive if employees have personal issues that keep them from concentrating on work.
98. Be unique as a manager. Every position demands something different and you should be proud to be adept at your particular role rather than trying to emulate other managers.
99. Remember that ethics matter above all. Be honest and reliable in all of your business and personal relationships.
100. Be on the lookout for new ideas. You never know where your next great inspiration will come from.
101. Get to know your employees. Learn more than just their names. Get to know your employees' family backgrounds, likes and dislikes. Doing so will make you more personable.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
A Lightning Bolt Hits Water, So Close You Can See Its Streamers
This astounding image was shot by photographers Francis Schaefers and Daniel Burger when they were chasing a thunderstorm along a beach in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. Chasing a storm along a beach. The best bit of the SpaceWeather.com article comes right at the end, where it says that Schaefers and Burger took a series of shots from “underneath a balcony where they figured the lightning wouldn’t reach.”
When lightning strikes the ground, if you are able to get the timing perfect, you might be able to capture ‘upward streamers’ rising from the ground to meet the leading edge of the bolt, as NASA lightning expert Richard Blakeslee explains:
In a typical cloud-to-ground lightning strike, as the leader approaches the ground, the large electric field at the leader tip induces these upward propagating streamers. The first one that connects to the downward propagating leader initiates the bright return stroke that we see with our eye. Upward streamers are often observed on photographs of lightning hitting the ground.”
It’s hard to imagine if this streamer phenomenon has been observed to reach out from water before, but this Dutch example must be very rare. It’s hard enough to photograph lightning streamers on solid ground, let alone on the surface of a body of water.
In case you weren’t already amazed, check out this shot. It’s called The Cruise You Don’t Want to Take for very obvious reasons:
Facts about the Loans
In this environment where there is much inflation hovering on the heads of people. In the society the people belongs to the following class status and these are as follows:
Upper Class
Lower Class
Middle Class
The distribution of wealth is totally not equal. The rich becomes richer and the poor becomes poorer. The salary of the individual is not enough for surviving; one has to do a part time job or even should go for loan for meeting the demands of the families. The life of the poor people is becoming very miserable and the rich people are living their lives in a very luxurious manner. The poor and even the middle class family is fighting for the basic needs of the day to day life, because the prices of the products are so expensive that every one is not able to buy the products in an easy way. Mostly people used to borrow money from one another to meet their requirements of day to day, and after sometime return the money back to the lender. So if we see our environment then we can easily say that every one is borrowing money. Bank plays a very important role in providing the loan of different types. The banks play very important role in providing the money to the people so that they can fulfill their day to day routine. One should know very clearly that which cheap loans are good for the person. The individual should know and should very much aware about the updates of cheap loans.
Advance loans are also known as pay day loans, these loans are for the purpose to hide the expenses related with the borrower till the pay day, this is also known as cash advances. There is an internet site that provides the information about loan UK.
If you want to purchase a particular car, house etc. then instant loans is very suitable and appropriate. The information about the low loans is available on the internet and the people should mark the one which is appropriate for meeting the requirements. If you need to get out of the situation where you have to pay the money in cash then the quick loans are the best ways. Loans are now a days very essential for the survival, as we can see that every body is taking loan for the following purposes and these are as follows:
To Buy A House
To Buy Different Products Like Home Appliances
To Buy Property
To Buy The Transport Etc
Now the people start getting loan and then pay back the loan in installments and interest loans are very feasible for the business class especially. Best loan is the one on which the interest rate is not very much and it is in relation with the buying power of the customer. One should know that what are the countrywide loans? Are very suitable for the person who wants to get a loan to buy or purchase the home. One should get pay loans from the one who is really expert in the filed. There is a very popular site related with the commercial loan, if you want to have the information about the commercial loan you can get it from the particular internet site, so the internet is also providing the information about the loans means not only the books and the magazines are providing. There is a UK loans store which provides the individual and the families' different types of loans like the secured one etc. There is great importance of Loans in not only for the individuals but also a great importance for the companies and small size and large size companies. If we see some companies then we can see that there is a concept of loans in every department or even in every enterprise.
Loan is a type of transaction in which the borrower gets a certain amount of money from the lender, and the lender gives the money because they both agreed on the thing that the borrower will give the money back to the lender in a certain amount of time period. If the borrowers don't give the money back then it is to be considered as unethical. As we know that education is very important for every one, every one wants to study. The education is not only important for the rich people but also for the poor and middle class people, that's whey the student loan is also there for the anxious students so that they can read and study well, what they want to in a real sense. The best way to utilize the loan is also to pay the loan back in the right time because otherwise the individual has to pay back the money with the more interest rate as it was defined earlier.
There are many type of loans which the bank is offering to the individuals and to the small entrepreneurs and as well as to the large owners of the companies. There are many types of loans available for the people; some of them are as follows:
Long-Term Loans
Short-Term Loans
UnSecured Credit Lines
UnSecured Loans
Secured Loans Etc.
These loans provide the benefits to the people in many ways; the loans provide the opportunity for the business people to do something good in the corporate sector. Though the loans many companies are making and providing good services to the people but also pay back the money. The loan can only be a good way for seeking opportunities and fulfilling the desires but it will become a frustration if the borrower will not pay the money in time. Quick cash is easy with a payday loan but use it for crucial financial situations only.
In this environment where there is much inflation hovering on the heads of people. In the society the people belongs to the following class status and these are as follows:
Upper Class
Lower Class
Middle Class
The distribution of wealth is totally not equal. The rich becomes richer and the poor becomes poorer. The salary of the individual is not enough for surviving; one has to do a part time job or even should go for loan for meeting the demands of the families. The life of the poor people is becoming very miserable and the rich people are living their lives in a very luxurious manner. The poor and even the middle class family is fighting for the basic needs of the day to day life, because the prices of the products are so expensive that every one is not able to buy the products in an easy way. Mostly people used to borrow money from one another to meet their requirements of day to day, and after sometime return the money back to the lender. So if we see our environment then we can easily say that every one is borrowing money. Bank plays a very important role in providing the loan of different types. The banks play very important role in providing the money to the people so that they can fulfill their day to day routine. One should know very clearly that which cheap loans are good for the person. The individual should know and should very much aware about the updates of cheap loans.
Advance loans are also known as pay day loans, these loans are for the purpose to hide the expenses related with the borrower till the pay day, this is also known as cash advances. There is an internet site that provides the information about loan UK.
If you want to purchase a particular car, house etc. then instant loans is very suitable and appropriate. The information about the low loans is available on the internet and the people should mark the one which is appropriate for meeting the requirements. If you need to get out of the situation where you have to pay the money in cash then the quick loans are the best ways. Loans are now a days very essential for the survival, as we can see that every body is taking loan for the following purposes and these are as follows:
To Buy A House
To Buy Different Products Like Home Appliances
To Buy Property
To Buy The Transport Etc
Now the people start getting loan and then pay back the loan in installments and interest loans are very feasible for the business class especially. Best loan is the one on which the interest rate is not very much and it is in relation with the buying power of the customer. One should know that what are the countrywide loans? Are very suitable for the person who wants to get a loan to buy or purchase the home. One should get pay loans from the one who is really expert in the filed. There is a very popular site related with the commercial loan, if you want to have the information about the commercial loan you can get it from the particular internet site, so the internet is also providing the information about the loans means not only the books and the magazines are providing. There is a UK loans store which provides the individual and the families' different types of loans like the secured one etc. There is great importance of Loans in not only for the individuals but also a great importance for the companies and small size and large size companies. If we see some companies then we can see that there is a concept of loans in every department or even in every enterprise.
Loan is a type of transaction in which the borrower gets a certain amount of money from the lender, and the lender gives the money because they both agreed on the thing that the borrower will give the money back to the lender in a certain amount of time period. If the borrowers don't give the money back then it is to be considered as unethical. As we know that education is very important for every one, every one wants to study. The education is not only important for the rich people but also for the poor and middle class people, that's whey the student loan is also there for the anxious students so that they can read and study well, what they want to in a real sense. The best way to utilize the loan is also to pay the loan back in the right time because otherwise the individual has to pay back the money with the more interest rate as it was defined earlier.
There are many type of loans which the bank is offering to the individuals and to the small entrepreneurs and as well as to the large owners of the companies. There are many types of loans available for the people; some of them are as follows:
Long-Term Loans
Short-Term Loans
UnSecured Credit Lines
UnSecured Loans
Secured Loans Etc.
These loans provide the benefits to the people in many ways; the loans provide the opportunity for the business people to do something good in the corporate sector. Though the loans many companies are making and providing good services to the people but also pay back the money. The loan can only be a good way for seeking opportunities and fulfilling the desires but it will become a frustration if the borrower will not pay the money in time. Quick cash is easy with a payday loan but use it for crucial financial situations only.
FACTS OF FINANCIAL PLANNING
FACTS ABOUT FINANCIAL PLANNING......
Simple Facts about Financial Planning you should be aware of…
1) Once you reach the age of 65, your average life expectancy is
-> 85 years if your are male non-smoker
-> 88 years if you are female non-smoker
(based on mortality table)
2) Once you and your spouse reach the age of 65, there is approx. a 10% chance that one of you is going to be 100 years or older.
(based on mortality table)
3) Even at a modest 3% annual inflation, prices double approx. every 23
years.
4) If you retire today and would like to spend 60’000 dollars each year
(5’000 per month; inflation adjusted) on top of your social security
benefits, you need a capital base of more than 1 million dollars.
(assuming 22 years of drawdown starting at age 65, 5% investment returns p.a. and 3% inflation p.a.)
5) If you are 35 years of age today, the 1 million dollars capital base
mentioned in point 4 translates to a required capital base of approx.
2.4 million dollars by the time you retire.
(based on retirement age 65 and 3% inflation p.a.)
6) If you are 35 years of age today and your goal is to achieve the above
mentioned withdrawal of 60’000 dollars each year ((5,000 per month)
adjusted for inflation, you need to save approx. 24’000 dollars per year
(2’000 per month).
(assuming 30 years of savings, 7% investment return and 3% inflation p.a.)
7) If your baby is born today and you would like to finance your child’s education, savings of approx. 125’000 dollars are required at the time the child starts college.
(based on today’s average 4 year public college costs of 12,841 p.a., inflated by 5% p.a., start at age 19)
8) If you start with your savings plan for the college costs at your baby’s
birth, you need to save approx. 3’600 dollars a year (300 per month).
(assuming 7% investment return p.a.)
Simple Facts about Financial Planning you should be aware of…
1) Once you reach the age of 65, your average life expectancy is
-> 85 years if your are male non-smoker
-> 88 years if you are female non-smoker
(based on mortality table)
2) Once you and your spouse reach the age of 65, there is approx. a 10% chance that one of you is going to be 100 years or older.
(based on mortality table)
3) Even at a modest 3% annual inflation, prices double approx. every 23
years.
4) If you retire today and would like to spend 60’000 dollars each year
(5’000 per month; inflation adjusted) on top of your social security
benefits, you need a capital base of more than 1 million dollars.
(assuming 22 years of drawdown starting at age 65, 5% investment returns p.a. and 3% inflation p.a.)
5) If you are 35 years of age today, the 1 million dollars capital base
mentioned in point 4 translates to a required capital base of approx.
2.4 million dollars by the time you retire.
(based on retirement age 65 and 3% inflation p.a.)
6) If you are 35 years of age today and your goal is to achieve the above
mentioned withdrawal of 60’000 dollars each year ((5,000 per month)
adjusted for inflation, you need to save approx. 24’000 dollars per year
(2’000 per month).
(assuming 30 years of savings, 7% investment return and 3% inflation p.a.)
7) If your baby is born today and you would like to finance your child’s education, savings of approx. 125’000 dollars are required at the time the child starts college.
(based on today’s average 4 year public college costs of 12,841 p.a., inflated by 5% p.a., start at age 19)
8) If you start with your savings plan for the college costs at your baby’s
birth, you need to save approx. 3’600 dollars a year (300 per month).
(assuming 7% investment return p.a.)
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Man arrested at Large Hadron Collider claims he's from the future
A would-be saboteur arrested today at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland made the bizarre claim that he was from the future. Eloi Cole, a strangely dressed young man, said that he had travelled back in time to prevent the LHC from destroying the world.
The LHC successfully collided particles at record force earlier this week, a milestone Mr Cole was attempting to disrupt by stopping supplies of Mountain Dew to the experiment's vending machines. He also claimed responsibility for the infamous baguette sabotage in November last year.
Mr Cole was seized by Swiss police after CERN security guards spotted him rooting around in bins. He explained that he was looking for fuel for his 'time machine power unit', a device that resembled a kitchen blender.
Police said Mr Cole, who was wearing a bow tie and rather too much tweed for his age, would not reveal his country of origin. "Countries do not exist where I am from. The discovery of the Higgs boson led to limitless power, the elimination of poverty and Kit-Kats for everyone. It is a communist chocolate hellhole and I'm here to stop it ever happening."
This isn't the first time time-travel has been blamed for mishaps at the LHC. Last year, the Japanese physicist Masao Ninomiya and Danish string-theory pioneer Holger Bech Nielsen put forward the hypothesis that the Higgs boson was so "abhorrent" that it somehow caused a ripple in time that prevented its own discovery.
Professor Brian Cox, a CERN physicist and full-time rock'n'roll TV scientist, was sympathetic to Mr Cole. "Bless him, he sounds harmless enough. At least he didn't mention bloody black holes."
Mr Cole was taken to a secure mental health facility in Geneva but later disappeared from his cell. Police are baffled, but not that bothered.
MENTAL MATH TRICKS
One thing that fascinates me is performing mental math. Being able to quickly perform additions, subtraction, multiplications etc is a good way to impress your friends. The problem is, I’m not a math genius, and I don’t know much behind simple arithmetic.
If you’re anything like me, but you’d still like to learn some basic math tricks, I hope you’ll find this list useful.
Simple tricks
How to multiply any two digits number by 11
Let’s say that you want to find the product of 36 and 11. One way to find it would be to multiply 36 by 10 and then add 36 on the result. There is, however, a simple trick that’ll do the job for any two digits number. To find out the result, write the first digit followed by the addition of the first and second digit, followed by the second digit.
Example:.
What happens if the sum of the two numbers is bigger than 9? In this case you add 1 to the first number, followed by the last digit of the addition of the two numbers, and then again you add the second number
Square any two digits number that ends with 5
Calculating the square of a number below 100 is extremely simple. If you want to find the square of 25 for example, you simply have to take the first digit (2), multiply it for the next higher number (3), and then add 25 to the result.
Multiply any two digits numbers with the same first digit and the second digit that sums up to 10
Let’s say that you want to multiply 42 and 48 together. Notice that they both start with 4, and that the sum of their second digit is 10. In this case there’s a simple rule that you can use to find their product. Simply multiply the first digit (4) for the next higher number (5) and then append the product of their second digits.
Note that if the product of the second digits is below ten, you have to add a 0 in front of it.
Multiply by 9
To multiply by 9, simply multiply by 10 and then subtract the number itself.
Quickly find percentages
To find out the 15% of a number, divide it by 10 and the add half of it.
To find out the 20% of a number, divide it by 10 and multiply the result by two.
To find out the 5% of a number, divide it by 10 and the divide it by two.
Addition
When we were at school, we have been taught how to sum two or more numbers together by using the right to left approach. With this method, you first sum the decimal part of the number, then you move to the hundreds and so on. This works good on paper, but it’s a pain when you’re doing mental calculations. Fortunately, the solution is very easy.
Left to right approach
Instead of using a right to left approach, we can start from the left and move to the right. Take the following example:
Usually, you would first sum up 4 to 45, and then and 30 to the result. But by using the left to right approach, you first sum up 30 to 45, and then you add 4 to the result. Although this example is very simple, you’ll see the advantages of this method as you start to use it.
If you’re working with three digits numbers, the process is the same.
This example is a bit more complicated than the previous one, yet it’s very easy to solve using the left to right approach. You first start by adding 600 to 459, which results in 1059. Now the problem is simplified to 1049 + 37. You simplify it even further by adding 30 to 1049, and then you finally add 7 to the result.
Subtraction
Like with addition, you can use the left to right approach for subtracting to numbers together. This time, however, it may feel uncomfortable to keep track of borrowings (a borrowing occurs when you subtract a number to a bigger one, like 16 – 9). Let’s see an example of this.
In this case, you first start by subtracting 10 to 64, resulting in 54, and now you only have to subtract 7 to 54. You can, however, subtract 20 to 64 and add 3 to the result. This way you don’t have to worry about borrowings.
Using complements to simplify subtractions even more
There is a way to easily calculate 3 or 4 digits subtractions very quickly in your head. This technique makes use of complements. For example. let’s say that you’re facing the following problem:
Instead of following the standard left to right approach, you could solve this problem by subtracting 400 to 674 and then add 42 back to the result. 42 is the difference from 100 and 58. A good question is: how do you find 42?
Note that there’s a simple pattern for calculating the second number. In particular, the sum of the first digits always sum up to 9, and the sum of the second digits always sum up to 10. The only exception is when the number ends with 0, which is simpler.
You can use this technique to solve any subtraction very easily.
Multiplication
In order to solve simple multiplications, it’s helps a lot being comfortable with the multiplication table for numbers below 10.
As you may have already guessed, we’re going to use the left to right approach to solve simple multiplication very easily. Take the following example:
We can reduce it by first calculating 30 × 7 (which is like 3 × 7 plus a 0) and then add 6 × 7 on the result.
This approach can be used for even larger numbers. Note that you can also round up instead of rounding down:
If you’re anything like me, but you’d still like to learn some basic math tricks, I hope you’ll find this list useful.
Simple tricks
How to multiply any two digits number by 11
Let’s say that you want to find the product of 36 and 11. One way to find it would be to multiply 36 by 10 and then add 36 on the result. There is, however, a simple trick that’ll do the job for any two digits number. To find out the result, write the first digit followed by the addition of the first and second digit, followed by the second digit.
Example:.
What happens if the sum of the two numbers is bigger than 9? In this case you add 1 to the first number, followed by the last digit of the addition of the two numbers, and then again you add the second number
Square any two digits number that ends with 5
Calculating the square of a number below 100 is extremely simple. If you want to find the square of 25 for example, you simply have to take the first digit (2), multiply it for the next higher number (3), and then add 25 to the result.
Multiply any two digits numbers with the same first digit and the second digit that sums up to 10
Let’s say that you want to multiply 42 and 48 together. Notice that they both start with 4, and that the sum of their second digit is 10. In this case there’s a simple rule that you can use to find their product. Simply multiply the first digit (4) for the next higher number (5) and then append the product of their second digits.
Note that if the product of the second digits is below ten, you have to add a 0 in front of it.
Multiply by 9
To multiply by 9, simply multiply by 10 and then subtract the number itself.
Quickly find percentages
To find out the 15% of a number, divide it by 10 and the add half of it.
To find out the 20% of a number, divide it by 10 and multiply the result by two.
To find out the 5% of a number, divide it by 10 and the divide it by two.
Addition
When we were at school, we have been taught how to sum two or more numbers together by using the right to left approach. With this method, you first sum the decimal part of the number, then you move to the hundreds and so on. This works good on paper, but it’s a pain when you’re doing mental calculations. Fortunately, the solution is very easy.
Left to right approach
Instead of using a right to left approach, we can start from the left and move to the right. Take the following example:
Usually, you would first sum up 4 to 45, and then and 30 to the result. But by using the left to right approach, you first sum up 30 to 45, and then you add 4 to the result. Although this example is very simple, you’ll see the advantages of this method as you start to use it.
If you’re working with three digits numbers, the process is the same.
This example is a bit more complicated than the previous one, yet it’s very easy to solve using the left to right approach. You first start by adding 600 to 459, which results in 1059. Now the problem is simplified to 1049 + 37. You simplify it even further by adding 30 to 1049, and then you finally add 7 to the result.
Subtraction
Like with addition, you can use the left to right approach for subtracting to numbers together. This time, however, it may feel uncomfortable to keep track of borrowings (a borrowing occurs when you subtract a number to a bigger one, like 16 – 9). Let’s see an example of this.
In this case, you first start by subtracting 10 to 64, resulting in 54, and now you only have to subtract 7 to 54. You can, however, subtract 20 to 64 and add 3 to the result. This way you don’t have to worry about borrowings.
Using complements to simplify subtractions even more
There is a way to easily calculate 3 or 4 digits subtractions very quickly in your head. This technique makes use of complements. For example. let’s say that you’re facing the following problem:
Instead of following the standard left to right approach, you could solve this problem by subtracting 400 to 674 and then add 42 back to the result. 42 is the difference from 100 and 58. A good question is: how do you find 42?
Note that there’s a simple pattern for calculating the second number. In particular, the sum of the first digits always sum up to 9, and the sum of the second digits always sum up to 10. The only exception is when the number ends with 0, which is simpler.
You can use this technique to solve any subtraction very easily.
Multiplication
In order to solve simple multiplications, it’s helps a lot being comfortable with the multiplication table for numbers below 10.
As you may have already guessed, we’re going to use the left to right approach to solve simple multiplication very easily. Take the following example:
We can reduce it by first calculating 30 × 7 (which is like 3 × 7 plus a 0) and then add 6 × 7 on the result.
This approach can be used for even larger numbers. Note that you can also round up instead of rounding down:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)