Comic #1866: 2010-06-20

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Here's the transcription of the comic text:

IT'S CALLED "POLISH HAND MAGIC."*

ONE PALM IS WORTH 5

NOW, SAY YOU MULTIPLY 7×8.

2 × 3 → FINGERS UP = 5
3 × 2 → FINGERS DOWN = 6
→ AND THERE'S THE ANSWER: 56

I'M SO POWERFUL

IT WORKS FOR BIGGER OR SMALLER NUMBERS! JUST IMAGINE NEGATIVE FINGERS AND EXTRA FINGERS.

IS THIS YOU RIGHT NOW?
WHY?!

SEE IF YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT BEFORE MOVING ON.

HERE'S THE PROOF:

| x - 5 | (y + 5)
10 TIMES SUM OF UP VALUES
= 10x + 1y - 10x - 10y + x + y
= x × y

NOW THAT YOU'VE SEEN THE PROOF, YOU KNOW FULLY WHY IT WORKS.

BUT… WHY?

= x × y.

RIGHT, BUT

BUT THAT'S TOTALLY UNSATISF…

THIS IS THE WORST THING ABOUT BEING HUMAN

*Source: The Puzzler's Elusion, by Dr. Dennis Shasha, who apparently got it from "a smart and elegant Polish woman."