Vedic Mathematics is a system of Mathematics demonstrated in the ancient Indian texts called the Ved (or more popularly known as their Anglicised plural form, the Vedas). According to the website of Vedic Mathematics Academy, “ ... all of mathematics is based on sixteen Sutras, or word-formulae.” (Sanskrit word ‘sutra’ means formula.) The website also goes on to describe the ease which the Vedic mathematics affords in doing difficult calculations. “In the Vedic system ‘difficult’ problems or huge sums can often be solved immediately by the Vedic method. These striking and beautiful methods are just a part of a complete system of mathematics which is far more systematic than the modern ‘system’. Vedic Mathematics manifests the coherent and unified structure of mathematics and the methods are complementary, direct and easy. The simplicity of Vedic Mathematics means that calculations can be carried out mentally (though the methods can also be written down).”
The tutorials on the website give examples of simple applications of the sutras, to give a feel for how the Vedic Maths system works. Some great examples of how the maths is made easy are also shown in few of the videos I found on YouTube. One video shows how one can use simple straight lines to multiply two big numbers without knowing the multiplication tables. Another one shows how to square big numbers in your head using simple observation of number patterns. This video sort of implies that Taoist maths is derived from Vedic. The same person also demonstrates how to divide a long number by a small one quickly. There are many such videos however, I just wanted to share a few to show you the easiness of Vedic maths.
I would like to end this blog entry by sharing some more information from the Vedic Mathematics Academy website. “Interest in the Vedic system is growing in education where mathematics teachers are looking for something better and finding the Vedic system is the answer. Research is being carried out in many areas including the effects of learning Vedic Maths on children; developing new, powerful but easy applications of the Vedic Sutras in geometry, calculus, computing etc. But the real beauty and effectiveness of Vedic Mathematics cannot be fully appreciated without actually practising the system. One can then see that it is perhaps the most refined and efficient mathematical system possible.”
Hi.. Thanks for this informative article. I really liked it. I also came across this similar site with nice articles and videos on vedic prinicples – http://www.vichaar.tv/
Thanks for the comment, RK. I will check out the link soon.
I appreciate your interest in vedic mathematics. Please visit http://vedicmaths-vsr.blogspot.com for more free videos on different topics of vedic mathematics.VSR
Thanks for the comment and the link. There's a lot of knowledge that is "hidden" in the surviving records of the ancient cultures. We haven't reached a stage advance enough to understand much of it and hence dismiss it as "myth".
Vedic mathematics is just not for dummies, its more than that. It gives you adequate techniques to process it faster and more insights to a problem. It's meant for the advance skills, since its very easy everyone thinks as vedic maths is for dummies. But I am sure its not for dummies
Hi Vivek, I completely agree. It is not JUST for dummies and hence the question mark at the end in the title. But it does make math easier and usable for the "not-so-good-at-maths" because it gives you ways of doing it in ways that are more "visual" than intellectual. Of course those who CAN do big numbers in their head can also use Vedic math if they wish but they might just not "need" it.