The Memory of Numbers

This system is magic because it works right away.

And it's further proof of the power of stories. (My job.)

Some context: they changed the TWO entry codes of the pied-à-terre I share in Paris for the SECOND time. So each time, I use unnatural mnemonic tricks to remember them. I end up standing in front of the door like a complete idiot saying out loud "so, I subtract 2 from the reversed number of candles from the birth year of the dog who..."

And each time, I'm scared people will think I'm an intruder, so I panic and lock myself out.

So when I got the email with the new codes, I decided to do it properly.

This time, I'm going to learn a system that actually works. I asked an LLM to suggest the easiest method for remembering numbers. It suggested the major system.

You'll see that the big advantage of this system is that you can start using it immediately after memorizing 10 very simple things. Yes: you'll be able to recall any number from 0 to 99 from just 10 small memories that are very easy to create.

1. Digit -> sound mapping

First step: map each digit from 0 to 9 to a sound, and therefore to similar-sounding letters. And to remember these sounds, there's a mnemonic for each one too.

It goes fast, you'll see. Took me about 10-15 minutes.

The 100 images

Next, for each number from 0 to 99, you pick an object or image whose spelling uses the consonants defined above. Vowels are free.

⚠️ No, you don't have to learn all 100 images now! That's the magic.

When you have a number to remember, use the table (below) to find the matching images, then tell yourself a story. From there, you can recover the digits without having to learn the whole table.

You learn as you go, based on what you actually need.

Example

I want to remember the door code 4531.

1. 45 maps to the sounds "R" then "L" (1st table)
2. I check the 2nd table: the word is "RaiL". I picture rails.
3. 31 maps to the sounds "M" and "T".
4. In the table: "MoTo" (motorcycle).
5. My story: rails. In the distance, a motorcycle appears. (Yeah, I'm a screenwriter 😎.)

Three days later, I'm standing in front of the door trying to recall the code.

1. I remember the rails and the motorcycle coming toward me.
2. The consonants in "RaiL" are R and L.
3. I remember that 4 is for fouR, and L is 5 (because Roman L is 50). So 45.
4. The sounds in MoTo are M and T. So 3 (number of downstrokes in m) and 1 (one downstroke in t). So 31.

And there you go.

Learning the 10 sounds was extremely easy thanks to the mnemonics. And I did remember the door codes, having only learned the table entries I needed.

Magic, I tell you.

Number -> image table

The full table.

If a word doesn't resonate with you, swap it for one that does. For instance, for 81, I changed "FiT" (which I'd already used in reverse for 18) to "FooT".