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Elementary, My Dear
Multiplication Rock, Song 2 |
Elementarymydear
Air date January 20, 1973
Written by Bob Dorough
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Elementary My Dear is a part of Multiplication Rock. It goes over multiplying by two. The original airdate was January 20, 1973. The song was performed by Bob Dorough.

Multiplication Rock[]

The multiplication of 2 is taught in the context of the story of the Biblical Noah's Ark.

Lyrics[]

Noah: Forty days and forty nights; didn't it rain, children? And not a speck of land in sight, didn't it, didn't it rain. When Noah built the ark so tight, they sailed on, children. And when at last, the water's receded, and the dove brought back the olive tree leaf. He landed the ship near Mount Ararat. One of his children grabbed his robe and said...
Child: Hey, Dad! How many animals are in the old Ark anyway, huh?
Noah: Elementary, my dear: 2 x 2 is 4. Elementary, my dear: 2 x 3 is 6. Elementary, my dear: 2 x 4 is 8. Elementary, my dear: 2 x 5 is 10.
2 x 1 is 2, of course and it must occur to you. You get an even number every time you multiply by 2.
Elementary, my dear: 2 x 6 is 12. Elementary, my dear: 2 x 7 is 14. Elementary, my dear: 2 x 8 is 16. Elementary, my dear: 2 x 9 is 18.
2 x 10 is 20, 11 twice is 22. Double 12, that's 24. 13 twice is 26. 14 twice is 38. 15 twice is 30. Now you build it up on 30. 16 twice is 32, elementary. 17 twice is 34, elementary. 18 twice is 36, elementary. 19 twice is 38, elementary.
20 twice is 40 and it must occur to you. You get an even number every time you multiply by 2.
Elementary, my dear: 2 x 2 is 4. (Woo!) Elementary, my dear: 2 x 3 is 6. (Yeah!) Elementary, my dear: 2 x 4 is 8. (Woo!) Elementary, my dear: 2 x 5 is 10. (Yeah!)
(SPOKEN): Now, if you want to multiply 2 x 174, or some big number like that, 2 x 174 = 2 × 100 + 2 × 70 + 2 × 4. That's all. So 2 × 174 = 200 + 140 + 8 ... or 348. It's elementary!
Elementary, elementary
Twice 32 is 64, elementary. Twice 33 is 66, elementary. Twice 34 is 68, elementary. Twice 35 is 70, elementary.
Yeah, yes! It's elementary, yeah!
Noah: Now, what's 2 × 98?
Child: Aw, that's hard!
Noah: No, it's very simple. 2 × 98 = 2 × 100, - 2 × 2. That's 200 - 4 ... 196. Elementary.
Noah: Forty days and forty night, didn't it rain, children?

Triva/Errors[]

  • During the song, two octopuses come out of the ark during the multiple of 68. In real life, an octopus cannot survive on land and have 8 legs.
  • Unlike the actual Noah's Ark story, his sons are children instead of adults.
  • When "15 twice is 30" is sung, a kangaroo bounces out of the ark, and in its pouch is a joey showing an unchangeable number "30".
  • It's unknown who voiced Noah's son.
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