When the number n has been introduced into the machine, a card will order a certain registering-apparatus to mark (n-1), and will at the same time execute the multiplication of b by b. When this is completed, it will be found that the registering-apparatus has effaced a unit, and that it only marks (n−2); while the machine will now again order the number b written on the column V1 to multiply itself with the product b2 written on the column V3, which will give b3.