LLMs Should Just Use Tools: Any Reasonable Model Nails 20x20 Multiplication

maksym_andr · x · 2026-09-17

Showing a 20-digit × 20-digit multiplication (88406012262485094631 × 19642218561318533336), the author notes a practical point: any reasonable LLM should use external tools for multiplications beyond 5x5 digits, yielding uniformly 100% accuracy regardless of reasoning strength — implying raw arithmetic evals matter less than proper tool use.

Related event: Claude Opus 5 Aces 20×20-Digit Multiplication, 1200/1200 Without Tools(7 posts)→

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