Modern day education requires basic mathematics for success be it in business, science, medical, or engineering fields. From India, the land that invented Zero and Infinity, comes Vedic Mathematics. Discovered and reformulated by a brilliant scholar in the earlier part of the twentieth century, Vedic Math has the following characteristics:
- Easy and simple methods
- Mental calculations for speed
- Coherent system spanning arithmetic to algebra and geometry till basic calculus
- Founded on basic principles
Furthermore Vedic Math is:
- Effective over all ability ranges
- Systematic than conventional mathematics
- Natural flow from Arithmetic to Algebra to Geometry
- Multiple techniques for the same operations
Vedic Math consists of sixteen primary principles or rules called sutras (essentially threads with sutra being the root word of suture), and thirteen sub-sutras. In fact, VM principles cover multiple bases and complements (extensively used Computer Science concepts).Proofs ot the methods are algebraic and are not tricks or shortcuts. There are multiple methods to solve a problem, allowing students to formulate an approach most comfortable to them.
Vedic Math is easy to learn and remember because it is logically formulated and highly coherent. For example, square roots can be found mentally—sans calculator—by reversing the method for squaring; the division techniqueis the opposite of the multiplication technique. There is a smooth transition from arithmetic to algebra to geometry. The methods can be performed right-to-left or vice versa. Mental computation is highly stressed and encouraged, as they aid mental agility, logical facilities, and extrapolation ability.Calculator “addiction”, so to speak, is a primary reason why U.S. students score among the lowest inmath proficiency tests, compared to other developed countries.
Vedic Math curriculum, as a complement to conventional math curriculum, has been used in schools in Britain for over 25 years and is also being taught in Singapore, Australia, and elite schools in India. Students in India use Vedic Math toprepare for competitive examinations for admission to prestigious engineering and management institutions, such as the IIT and the IIM , which are more competitive than getting into Harvard.
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