Numbers
Memorising Numbers
Imagine what you could achieve if you could memorise any number with ease. Stop imagining read on…
After you have completed this section try out our Number Memory Game
Instructions for the Number Memory Game
You are about to learn a way of thinking about numbers that make them more memorable. It works on the principal of taking numbers and converting them into memorable images. To achieve this you are going to use a phonetic system which goes back hundreds of years. This phonetic system is based on the principal that the numbers from 0-9 has a sound or sounds associated with them – from these sounds we create words, which we use as our images. The end result is that you build up a vocabulary of images for the numbers.
Before we can turn a number into an image we first need to learn the code used in the phonetic system. From this code we can figure out the sound that each number from 0 – 9 represents. Once you have matched up the numbers with their sounds, you can make up words (the words will be your images).
The Phonetic System
It is very important to understand that is the sounds of the words created that determine what numbers they are. For example the sounds k, g and ng represents the number 7 so the C in Cat would be the number 7 because C sounds like K. This rule stands throughout the code. It is not how you spell the word but rather how it sounds.
| 0 | are the sounds that the letters z and s make, as in Zorro and Snake. |
| 1 | are the sounds that the letters t and d make, as in Teddy and Diamond. |
| 2 | is the sound the letter n makes, as in Nuts. |
| 3 | is the sound the letter m makes, as in Mike. |
| 4 | is the sound the letter r makes, as in Rat. |
| 5 | is the sound the letter l makes, as in Light. |
| 6 | are the sound the letters j, sh and ch makes, as in Jam, Ship and Chips. |
| 7 | are the sounds the letters k, g and ng make, as in Cat, Gun and ri NG. |
| 8 | are the sounds the letters f and v make, as in Fire and Van. |
| 9 | are the sounds the letters p and b make, as in Pea and Bite. |
IMPORTANT: The letters A, E, I, O, U. W, H, Y have no value. This allows us to create words.
As with memorizing anything, to remember the code we apply ROM. Sometimes you have to memorize a number at high speed for this we need to build up a vocabulary of pre-determined images to represent our numbers. Using the code we can easily create a separate image for each two digit number from 00 – 99 this will be our number system. Below I have set out a table with 100 words. Each of these words (images) represent a number from 00 – 99. Each one is created using the phonetic code, let us take a look at a few of them:
| Chilli | Cap | Mummy |
| 65 | 79 | 33 |
These are not the only images you can use. Using the phonetic code 65 could just as easily be Cello (sounds like chello) or agile (sounds like ajile). Remember it is the sound the words make that is important along with the fact that A, E, I, O, U and W, H, Y have no value, this allows us to create words. Have a look through the images below and make sure you have an understanding of how the phonetic code is being used to create these images. If there are images that you would prefer to use instead of the ones listed below just go ahead and substitute them.
Number System – example
| 00 Sauce |
01 Sit |
02 Sin |
03 Sam |
04 Soar |
05 Sail |
06 Sash |
07 Sack |
08 Safe |
09 Zip |
| 10 Daisey |
11 Data |
12 Dan |
13 Dam |
14 Door |
15 Doll |
16 Dash |
17 Duck |
18 Toffee |
19 Tap |
| 20 Noose |
21 Net |
22 Nun |
23 Nam |
24 Nero |
25 Nail |
26 Nash |
27 Nag |
28 Knife |
29 Nappy |
| 30 Mace |
31 Mat |
32 Minnie |
33 Mummy |
34 Marry |
35 |
36 Mash |
37 Mag |
38 Mafia |
39 Mop |
| 40 Race |
41 Rat |
42 Rain |
43 Rum |
44 Roar |
45 Rail |
46 Rash |
47 Rake |
48 Raf |
49 Rope |
| 50 Lace |
51 Lead |
52 Alien |
53 Lamb |
54 Lara |
55 Lilly |
56 Lash |
57 Lake |
58 Leave |
59 Lab |
| 60 Jaws |
61 Shot |
62 Chain |
63 Jam |
64 Chair |
65 Chilli |
66 Gigi |
67 Chuck |
68 Chief |
69 Chap |
| 70 Case |
71 Cat |
72 Can |
73 Gum |
74 Car |
75 Claw |
76 Cash |
77 Cake |
78 Café |
79 Cap |
| 80 Vase |
81 Fat |
82 Vine |
83 Foam |
84 Fur |
85 Fool |
86 Fish |
87 Fag |
88 Viva |
89 Phebe |
| 90 Boss |
91 Bat |
92 Bin |
93 Beam |
94 Beer |
95 Bill |
96 Bash |
97 Bag |
98 Beef |
99 Poppy |
To help speed up the memorization process use ROM to associate the images from 00 – 09 together, 10 – 19 together, 20 – 29 together and so on up to 90 – 99. This way you can run through them in your head at speed. Once you have completed this there is a 100 digit number below I want you to memorize. This will help to really familiarise you with the code, while being quite an impressive feat at the same time. Remember you are only really memorizing 50 images.
Use your location system to file each one of your images, so if your first location is your living room and the first 2 digits are 92, you will associate bin with your living room, the next 2 digits will be associated on your next file and so on throughout the rest of the number.
Give yourself no more than 30 minutes for this exercise.
Once you have memorized the number write down as many digits as you can remember and see how many you get right.
9201982547 3847509377 5419152430 9607927152 1725079576
9372637485 6102293856 5564709708 9781162534 9685789875
This exercise is really more to do with learning the code than remembering the number but as you can see by thinking about numbers in a different way there is almost no limit to how many you can remember.
