William Q. Vedic Mathematics Secrets: Fun Applications of Vedic Math In Your EveryDay Life!

VedicMathematicsSecrets, 2007. — 60 p.True PDFIn our modern age of computers and calculators, a lot of people have shied away from developing skills of mental arithmetic. What school child hasn’t asked, “Why do I need to learn that? I can do it on my calculator…”
That really puts a teacher on the spot. And that is just the beginning; learning tables, multiplying and dividing by hand, are in danger of becoming a chore instead of a challenge. Who wants to waste their time mastering a complex skill that a machine can do in a fraction of the time?
Vedic Math is attractive for many reasons. It is easy to learn, it is effective and it has a gratifying simplicity. Most of all, because you can achieve spectacular results in a relatively short time, it encourages the learner to learn. What better incentive to learn your tables than to find you can beat your calculator at its own game?
At first glance, these may seem like tricks, more a part of old-fashioned rote-learning than a route to better fundamental understanding. The real magic of Vedic Math is that, by offering so many choices, it encourages budding mathematicians to analyze their sums to find the easiest way to a solution.
There is no single correct way to solve a problem, and finding the most suitable ‘trick’ leads the learner gently towards a mathematical way of thinking. Vedic Math is non-restrictive, and is all about looking for patterns and ways to simplify a problem. This leads to a flowing, flexible approach and develops lateral thinking.
If you approach Vedic Math already passionate about the beauty of mathematics, you will find this alternative approach fascinating territory. The sixteen sutras and thirteen sub-sutras form a useful platform to speed up your mental calculations dramatically, and you will enjoy finding ways to link them back to traditional western Math. Many of them have neat algebraic proofs.
Most importantly, Vedic Math is fun. Once you are having fun, learning is no longer a chore, but an achievable challenge. Whether you are a Math whiz, or word sums make your head ache, Vedic Math can take you a step further, and help you enjoy the ride.
This book is arranged starting with the most straightforward operations. These form the building blocks for more complex work as we progress. A list of the sutras and sub-sutras is given in Appendix A and B. Appendix C and D shows some examples of the applications of the sutras and sub sutras. Each section begins by setting out a method with its sutra, and then gives examples showing how to apply the method in different situations. The section ends with some exercises for you to try. If you want to really challenge yourself, skip these exercises and go to Appendix E when you have finished the book. All the questions are also listed there. The answers are provided in Appendix F, so that you can check that you have mastered each method as you go along or at the very end, whichever you prefer.