Known for Math abilities Website www.mikebyster.com | Name Mike Byster | |
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Education University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Books The Power of Forgetting: Six Essential Skills to Clear Out Brain Clutter and Become the Sharpest, Smartest You | ||
Mike byster on 20 20 mike byster brainetics
Michael Byster (born March 5, 1959) is an American mathematician, mental calculator and math educator. He worked as a stockbroker until he quit his job to devote himself to teaching children his methods. Mike is able to do many arithmetic problems in his head at very fast speeds. During a study done years ago, Byster was claimed to have one of the fastest mathematical minds in the world.
Contents
- Mike byster on 20 20 mike byster brainetics
- Mike byster 90 second challenge
- Early life
- Career
- Media appearances
- Personal life
- References
Mike byster 90 second challenge
Early life
Byster was raised along with his older sister in the Chicago suburb of Skokie, Illinois. His parents, Gloria and Dave Byster encouraged his math shortcuts at a young age. He went to Niles North High School and then attended University of Illinois graduating with a bachelor's degree in finance in 1981.
Career
Byster used to work at the mercantile exchange, but after his cousin, a math teacher in a Chicago area high school, invited him to show the class his shortcuts for doing base 10 arithmetic, Byster quit his job to devote himself to teaching children his methods. After that, he continued to do shows for free to schools across the country. In December 2003, he released the website Mike's Math, but this was discontinued in 2007. In 2008, Byster produced the Brainetics math and memory system. Byster claims that Brainetics uses both sides of the brain to process and store information, allowing anyone to recall the information at a fast pace.
Media appearances
Mike appeared on ABC's 20/20 in 2007. From 2007 to 2010, he appeared on television shows multiple times. On January 21, 2010, Mike appeared on Oprah Radio's Gayle King show. Mike has appeared on The Shopping Channel in Canada and QVC in the United States multiple times. He appeared on Fox News June 8, 2011. He has also appeared on WGN in July 2011, Good Day New York in August 2011 and then Fox News Boston on October 27, 2011. He was on WBEZ's Afternoon Shift on September 27, 2013. In November 2016 Mike gave a TEDx talk entitled 'How to Think Like a Genius'. On June 26, 2017, Mike competed on the Fox TV competition series Superhuman, Byster won that week's competition and with that received $50,000 and the title of Superhuman.
Personal life
Byster got married in the early 1990s and has a son, Josh, to whom he has taught his methods. He currently resides in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Byster is Jewish