For a problem like 96x8 they probably don't expect you to use the long multiplication algorithm... that certainly isn't how *I* would solve it.
Now lets see.... 96*8
Well if the kid already has an ok grasp of place value they probably know 100*8=800. So 96*8 is 4 less 8s. So 8x4=32, thats either memorized of easily figured out. So 800-32, well thats subtraction. If multidigit subtraction has been covered you're all set.
It's very interesting to see this, too. I would much rather just do the multidigit multiplication. I wonder what DD would choose. She's faster at mental math than I am, but also very fast and competent at standard algorithms of all sorts.
