Many pub quiz questions boil down to simple arithmetic. The trick isn't just knowing how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, but doing it quickly in your head. Let's cover some mental shortcuts.

When multiplying, look for easy numbers. To calculate $15 \times 12$, you could multiply $15 \times 10$ (which is 150) and then add $15 \times 2$ (which is 30). Add them together: $150 + 30 = 180$. This is often faster than trying to do the full multiplication in one step.

For division, breaking down the number can help. Trying to divide 96 by 4? Halve it twice. Half of 96 is 48, and half of 48 is 24. So, $96 \div 4 = 24$. This works for dividing by any power of 2 (4, 8, 16, etc.).

Fractions, decimals, and percentages are just different ways of saying the same thing. Being able to switch between them is a quiz superpower. The most common ones are worth memorizing.

To find a percentage of a number, it's often easiest to find 10% first. Say you need to calculate 30% of 80. Start with 10% of 80, which is just 8. Since 30% is three times 10%, you just multiply that result by three: $8 \times 3 = 24$.

What about 35% of 80? You already know 30% is 24. Now you just need 5%. Since 5% is half of 10%, you can take half of 8, which is 4. Add them up: $24 + 4 = 28$.

Don't let the word "algebra" scare you. In a pub quiz context, it's usually just a

The golden rule of algebra is: whatever you do to one side of an equation, you must do to the other. Your goal is to get the unknown variable (usually $x$) by itself.

Consider this equation:

First, we want to isolate the term with $x$. To get rid of the +7 on the left side, we subtract 7. To keep the equation balanced, we must also subtract 7 from the right side.

Now, $3x$ means "3 times $x$". To undo the multiplication, we do the opposite: division. We divide both sides by 3.

Quiz questions about geometry usually stick to the basics: areas, perimeters, and angles. You likely won't need to prove any complex theorems.

Here are a few key formulas to remember:

• Area of a rectangle: Length × Width
• Perimeter of a rectangle: 2 × (Length + Width)
• Area of a triangle: (Base × Height) / 2
• Area of a circle: $\pi r^2$ (where $r$ is the radius)
• Circumference of a circle: $2\pi r$

For quiz purposes, you can usually approximate $\pi$ as 3.14. Also, remember that a straight line is 180 degrees, and the angles inside any triangle always add up to 180 degrees. The angles in a four-sided shape like a square or rectangle always add up to 360 degrees.

Now let's see how much you've learned. It's time for a quick quiz.

Keep these techniques in mind. With a little practice, you'll be able to tackle the math rounds with confidence.