The Human Calculator
Most of the time, students find maths cumbersome and difficult at school level. They find it difficult to do long calculations and even after all those steps of computation, they are not confident whether the answer is correct. Nowadays, students are much more comfortable working on computers and calculators but find it difficult to use the computer we all have been gifted with. Yes, our very own ‘BRAIN’.
Vedic Mathematics
– Smart way of doing Mathematics
We all believe that our brain works faster than the world’s fastest computer. But the million dollar question is how to use this potential? How to really become as fast as a computer? Let’s unveil the Human Calculator in you.
And that’s where the knowledge of smart techniques helps us – which I call “adding smart work to your hard work”. Using these smart maths techniques, popularly known as ‘Vedic Mathematics techniques’, a student can do most of the calculations mentally, without using pen and paper, in one line. The process boosts confidence in one’s ability to tackle mathematical problems, which is necessary for a sustained interest in Mathematics.
Vedic Mathematics is the world’s fastest method of mental mathematics. The history of Vedic Mathematics dates back to the golden age of India, where calculations were done mentally. There was perfect coordination of both right and left parts of the brain. The capacity of the mind was used by every individual up to 100 percent. In due course of time, mind power and mental calculations reduced. A need was felt to document the knowledge of that time for future generations, when different Vedas were being written. With time, that knowledge also got scattered. But it is the result of intuitive work of Late Swami Shri Bharati Krishna Tirthaji, the Shankaracharya of Puri, who presented a glimpse of the high tech methods used in earlier times in the form of a system now popularly known as ‘Vedic Mathematics’. He, through his eight long years of research on Vedas, has presented 16 formulae and 13 sub-formulae which cover a wide range of mathematical operations from arithmetic to analytical cones.
Generally in seminars and workshops, when I calculate long numbers in front of students and teachers, they don’t believe how I arrive at the right answers like a computer. It seems magic to them! But when I tell them the techniques for those calculations, it’s difficult to keep them on their seats. They start answering the questions out of excitement and joy. That is why, I call this system ‘Math-E-Magic’.
“It’s magic until you understand it, And it’s mathematics thereafter.”
Let us take a glimpse of this magic world.
Example 1:
Find the square of 35.
Using the old traditional method, there is no other way of finding the square of 35 other than multiplying 35 by 35. But by using the Vedic Maths Technique, the answer can be directly given as 1225.
Want to know how?
For finding the squares of numbers ending in 5, the answer comes in two parts: LHS(Left hand side) and RHS(Right hand side)
Example 2:
752 = 7×8/52 = 5625.
So , you see, instead of struggling through long cumbersome steps of working, answer to difficult sums can also be given in a single and simple step of work by the Vedic Method.
Not only squares, other calculations like long multiplication, division, finding square root, cube, cube root, fraction and much more can be computed easily.
No doubt, the students are required to do the calculations using formulae and identities taught in school and have to show the method also, but these techniques should be introduced in classroom teaching which can help them to recheck their answers in no time.
These techniques are highly useful while answering MCQ’s and while appearing in various Olympiad and other competitive exams where they are required to give answers in seconds. Also students develop an interest in numbers and calculations, thereby helping them to get rid of maths phobia.
In a nutshell, we can say that owing to its very special and universal features, these smart techniques convert the dry and tedious maths into a playful and joyful subject, which children enjoy learning with a smile.
For more such techniques read our book How to Become a Human Calculator?’ and for online vedic maths videos visit our website: www.aditisinghal.com or email: mvedica@gmail.com
Aditi SinghalAditi Singhal, founder of Dynamic Minds Group, is an International memory trainer, author, Motivational speaker, counsellor and Vedic Maths expert par excellence. She has to her credit Guinness World Record for teaching Largest Maths Lesson and three records in The Limca Book of Records for memory & fastest calculation. She has also been awarded – “The Best Memory Trainer” by the India Book of Records. She had a dream to make calculations simple for all. Hence she authored a book – How to Become a Human Calculator?