[Math] Need faster division technique for $4$ digit numbers.

arithmeticnumber theorynumerical methods

I have to divide $2860$ by $3186$. The question gives only $2$ minutes and that division is only half part of question. Now I can't possibly make that division in or less than $2$ minutes by applying traditional methods, which I can't apply on that division anyways.

So anyone can perform below division using faster technique?

$2860/3186$

Thanks for reading, hoping to get some answers. 🙂

This is a multiple choice question, with answers $6/7$, $7/8$, $8/9$, and $9/10$.

Best Answer

Another very specific trick, based on the multiple choices: since all the choices are of the form $\displaystyle \frac{n-1}{n} = 1 - \frac{1}{n}$, you're trying to find $n$ for which $1/n$ is closest to 1−(your fraction). So you'd consider (denominator−numerator)/denominator = (3186−2860)/3186 which is (around 320)/3186, clearly closest to 1/10.

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