Strong players work backwards from the target: they look for a multiplication that gets close, then use the remaining small numbers to correct the difference.
Start from the target
Ask which simple products are near the target. For 397, 4×100=400 is only 3 away, so the question becomes: can you make 4 and 3 from the rest?
Use the large numbers
Large numbers such as 25, 50, 75 and 100 combine well. 75×4=300, 50×8=400 and 25×3=75 give fast routes to three-digit targets.
Keep a correction number
Plan your last step as plus or minus a small number. If you need 397 and have 400, you only need a 3 — or 1 and 2, or 9 divided by 3.
Division is a hidden tool
Division is easy to forget. Dividing a large product by a small number can produce exactly the value you need, as in (50×25−59)÷3=397.
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