Mike Answers Your Math Questions

— -- In 2006, "20/20" first introduced you to Mike Byster, the creator of Mike's Math. We received more than 8,000 e-mail questions and comments about Mike's Math, and we wanted to share some of Mike's answers to your questions. You can find out much more about Mike's Math at his Web site.

Angela Mooney from Wauconda Ill., asked, "Who were those kids on '20/20' and how did they do those amazing things?"

Mike: The kids on the show were everyday third-, fifth- and eighth-grade students in regular classrooms. The two main reasons for their improvement were they believed in themselves, and they were taught in an extremely fun environment.

Lolly Libman from Prescott, Ariz., asked, "Does this work on all children?"

Mike: I have tested this out on hundreds of kids of all ages and ability levels, and each child improved tremendously.

Maria Gruett from Lititz, Pa., asked, "What will be the best way for my kid to learn Mike's Math?"

Mike: I have always believed that the key to learning is to make it fun. We have developed a very fun groundbreaking interactive way for kids to learn, unlike anything ever done before. We do not think the optimal way is through workbooks.

Nancy Murray from Adrian, Mich., asked, "How long does it take for the kids to get really good at it."

Mike: There are 15 sections, each requiring anywhere between a couple of days to a week to master, depending on the child. So about one to three months is a good guideline.

Sarah Ashton, Cambridge, N.Y., asked, "I am so excited by this, how can I make a donation?"

Mike: Thank you so much, but we are not accepting donations. Mike's Math is one of the most powerful educational tools ever developed and needs to be made available and affordable to every child in the world. We are looking to partner with powerful people or kid-friendly corporations whose main objective is to educate children and can help us achieve our goal.

Mary Bojan from McHenry, Ill., asked, "Does your system work for all multiplication problems or just ones with shortcuts?"

Mike: It works for all multiplication problems. But sometimes it is more beneficial to use shortcuts for certain problems.

Mickey Steiner from Boynton Beach, Fla., asked, "When will Mike's Math be made available to the general public?"