Number Shape
The number shape pegging system is a mnemonic technique that involves associating numbers with objects or shapes that resemble those numbers. This system helps in memorizing sequences of numbers or lists of items by linking them to easily recognizable shapes. Here's how it typically works:
- Assign Shapes to Numbers: In this system, each number from 0 to 9 is associated with an object or shape that visually resembles the number. For example:
| Shape of Number | Association |
|---|---|
| 1 | burning candle |
| 2 | bird |
| 3 | sideways bridge, or bridge |
| 4 | knife |
| 5 | wheelchair |
| 6 | cartoon bomb, or bomb |
| 7 | a cliff |
| 8 | snowman |
| 9 | balloon |
| 0 | manhole, or hole |
- Creating Associations: Once you have assigned shapes to each number, you use these shapes to create visual associations with the items you want to remember. If you're using the system to remember a list of items, you would visualize the first item interacting with the shape associated with the number one, the second item with the shape for number two, and so on.
- Recalling Information: To recall the items, you simply think of the shapes in order and remember the associated items. The visual nature of the shapes makes it easier to recall the linked information.
Example of Use: Suppose you need to remember a shopping list: milk, eggs, and bread. You might visualize:
- a giant lit candle (1) pouring out milk.
- A bird (2) laying eggs.
- A bridge, which feels squishy, because it's made of bread (3).
This system leverages the human brain's ability to recall images more easily than abstract numbers or text. By converting numbers into visual shapes and forming associations with these shapes, the number shape pegging system enhances memory and recall, particularly for ordered lists or sequences. It's a simple, yet effective mnemonic device, especially useful for those who have a strong visual memory.
By integrating the number shape technique with other pegging methods like number rhyme or the major system, we can create mental scaffolding. These foundational techniques enable us to bootstrap our memory with more complex and powerful mnemonic techniques, such as the PAO system. We can follow a progressive approach, where we use simple methods to memorize the vast number of basic components needed for the more advanced mnemonic systems.