Peg systems for numbers and lists
Numbers and long lists resist memory because they carry no meaning. A peg system gives every number a fixed, vivid image, so you can hang new information on pegs you already own.
Key ideas
- Pegs are learned once and reused forever.
- Turning numbers into images makes them memorable.
- Pegs suit ordered lists, codes and figures that must be exact.
Step by step
- 1
Learn ten peg images for 0 to 9, such as a shape that looks like each digit.
- 2
Practise the pegs until each image comes instantly.
- 3
Link each new item to its peg in a vivid, interacting scene.
- 4
Recall by walking through the pegs in order and checking each scene.
Example
A nurse memorises a 6-step protocol by linking step one to a candle (1), step two to a swan (2), and so on. Under pressure she runs through the pegs and every step appears in order.
Your drill
Create your ten digit pegs today. Tomorrow, use them to memorise a ten-item list and a six-digit number, then test yourself an hour later.
Common mistakes
- Changing pegs from day to day, which causes interference.
- Using pegs for ideas that are better learned through understanding.
Check yourself
Why do peg systems work for numbers?
Show the answer
They convert meaningless digits into fixed vivid images that new items can be attached to.
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