A WONDERFUL CALCULATOR.
John Alexander, poat-runner between Nairn and Cawdor, lias proved himself to be one of the moat astonishing mental calculators, perhaps, in the kingdom. As a specimen of his powers, he gave the correct answers to the five following questions in less than a minute, in presence of Mr. William Kaitt, Free Church Institution, Nairn, the other day; — "Two chests tea, each 801b., at 3s. 64d.; 12 bai-s brown soap, each 3 Alb., at 4id. ; 17 bars white soap, each 41b., at s^d.; 3 bases sago, each 271b., at 4Ad. ; and 7 bags barley, each 191b., at l^d." He answered tile following question correctly without noting down a single figure, and that, too, in a few seconds: — "Find the amount of £500, from March 1 to January 9, both days inclusive, at 4| per cent. ? Answer, £519 19s. l£d.— 66-73d." He was asked by Mr. Eaitt how many letters there would be in a year's file of a daily newspaper of eight pages, each seven columns, each 190 lines, each 5? lotters ? The answer, 139,873,440, was given in a few seconds.
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Bibliographic details
Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3930, 28 March 1870, Page 4
Word Count
183A WONDERFUL CALCULATOR. Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3930, 28 March 1870, Page 4
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