Page 148 - A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science

“palaces”—are useful because they help you focus and pay attention when your
mind would rather skitter off and do something else. They help remind you that
meaning is important for remembering, even if the initial meaning is wacky. In
short, memorization techniques remind you to make what you learn in your life
meaningful, memorable, and fun.

MIND-JOGGING JINGLES

“In my tenth-grade chemistry class, we were introduced to Avogadro’s number—6.02214 ×
7
10 —and none of us could remember it. So one of my friends made up a song about it
with a tune borrowed from a Golden Grahams cereal commercial (that turned out to be a
much older song called ‘Oh, Them Golden Slippers’). So now, thirty years later as an older
student, I still remember Avogadro’s number because of that song.”
—Malcolm Whitehouse, senior, computer engineering

TOP TEACHER TRACEY’S MEMORY TIPS

“Pacing back and forth, and even having a bit of a snack beforehand, can be helpful when
you are memorizing because the brain uses a lot of energy during mental activities. It is
also important to make use of multiple areas of the brain when learning. We use the visual
cortex of the brain to remember what we see, the auditory cortex for things we hear, the
sensory cortex for things we feel, and the motor cortex for things we pick up and move. By
using more areas of the brain while learning, we build stronger memory patterns, weaving
a tighter web that is less likely to be forgotten during the stress of an exam. For example,
in anatomy lab, students should pick up the anatomy models, close their eyes, feel each
structure, and say the name of each part out loud. You can skip the senses of smell and
taste . . . gotta draw the line somewhere!”
—Tracey Magrann, Professor of Biological Sciences, Saddleback College

SUMMING IT UP

The memory palace technique—placing memorable nudges in a scene
that is familiar to you—allows you to dip into the strength of your