10 Old-School Tips and Tricks Everyone Should Know

1. Good Battery or Bad Battery?

Test: Drop a battery onto a hard surface from about 1–2 cm high.

• If it bounces and falls over → It’s a dud.

• If it lands upright → It’s still good.

2. Finding South Without a Compass

What you need: Analog watch + sunlight.

1. Hold the watch flat in your palm, with the hour hand pointing toward the sun.

2. Place a toothpick or blade of grass between the hour hand and the 12.

3. The side closest to 12 points due south.

3. Remembering Roman Numerals

Use the mnemonic:
My Dear Cat Loves Xtra Vitamins Intensely

• M = 1,000

• D = 500

• C = 100

• L = 50

• X = 10

• V = 5

• I = 1

4. Multiplying by 11 (Easy Method)

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