posted on Jul, 30 2008 @ 06:16 AM
thought I would bump this thread, since I did the right thing and used the search feature before posting...
although mods may want to move to appropriate forum.
Vedic math is based on 16 principles (sutras). It still uses math, but there are lots of shortcuts.
For example, multiple any number by 9, and the digits of the solution will also add up to 9 (or a multiple of 9).
e.g. 5x9 = 45. 4+5=9.
and: 73x9 = 657. 6+5+7 = 18. (and 1+8=9)
So instead of actually doing the traditional concept of math in your head, it's a bit different; more like translating a language I guess. Some
people confuse it with numerology, which it is not.
There's another method for adding times very easily, not sure which sutra it is (or if it has its sutra).
basically when adding times, say 1:27 and 5:44, you have to convert the times to seconds, or at least do some mental math to deal with the 60/100
denominator difference... however there is a "magic time" number with a constant value of 40 that takes that entire step out. Instead of
converting the time, you just bunch the numbers together, add, and then add 40. Hard to explain, easy to illustrate:
instead of this process:
1:27 = (1x60)+27 = 60+27 = 87
5:44 = (5x60)+44 = 300+44 = 344
87 + 344 = 431
431/60 = 7 r11
7:11
you do this:
1:27 = 127
5:44 = 544
127 + 544 = 671
671 + 40 = 711
711 = 7:11
admittedly, each of those have 5 steps... but clearly the second version was much easier. 3 steps involved removing or adding a colon, with only 2
actual steps with very simple addition. This would be at most a 2-step mental process.
The typical (western) method can be done mentally as well, but it takes a bit longer, since you have to do a variety of mental calculations.
Just some very small examples of vedic math opposed to western math. I firmly believe that if I was taught both methods in school, I would have ended
up keeping an active interest in math, instead of having it beaten out of me with long, boring equations. I'll stop before a rant ensues.
Hope some of you find this interesting, and better yet, I hope it sparks a new interest in math to some of you that may have lost it like I had at one
point, or to those of you that never considered yourselves good at math. This is an entirely new approach.