Vedic Math for Kids: Quick Tips for Busy Parents
5 min read · Aug 12, 2024
Table of contents
Hi there!
Welcome to the tenth chapter in my mental math series.
Today, we're going to focus on the kiddos, and talk about Vedic math for kids.
Sidenote: This chapter is optional. So if you're not interested, skip to the next one.
Benefits of Learning Vedic Math
Improves Calculation Speed and Accuracy
You know what's really cool about Vedic math? It makes kids super-fast at doing calculations in their heads. We're talking 10–15 times faster than the old-school methods!
By the way, I'm not saying they should ditch regular math. Vedic math is meant to go alongside it, not replace it.
Enhances Concentration and Memory
Vedic math has these things called sutras - 16 main ones and 13 sub-ones. When kids memorize these, it's like they're giving their memory muscles a serious workout.
And let me tell you, doing Vedic math requires some serious focus. It's like mental weightlifting. The more kids practice, the longer they can concentrate.
But here's my favorite part: Vedic math teaches kids to think both logically and intuitively. They learn to break down problems step-by-step, but they also start to see patterns and connections between numbers.
Reduces Math Anxiety
The more kids practice Vedic math, the less they need to rely on calculators or scribbling everything down. They start doing more in their heads, which is a real confidence booster.
Sidenote: Even the founder of Google mentioned this (though he was talking about math in general), so I had to put it on the homepage.
I'd even go as far as saying Vedic math can make math fun! It has all these neat shortcuts and tricks which turns math into a kind of game or puzzle.
Basic Vedic Math Tricks and Techniques
Here are some Vedic math techniques your kid can use. This stuff is pure gold for speeding up mental math.
Basic Calculation Tricks
For addition and subtraction, here's a killer technique called the Closest 10s method.
Let's say you're adding 47 and 28. Here's how you do it:
- Round 47 up to 50 (that's 3 more) and 28 up to 30 (that's 2 more)
- Now add 50 and 30 - that's 80
- Subtract what you added to round up (3 + 2 = 5)
- 80–5 = 75
For subtraction, it works similarly. Let's subtract 18 from 42:
- Round 42 down to 40 (that's 2 less) and 18 up to 20 (that's 2 more)
- 40–20 = 20
- Add back what you subtracted and added (2 + 2 = 4)
- 20 + 4 = 24
Now, for multiplication, Vedic math has some tricks up its sleeve too. Want to multiply by 5? Just divide by 2 and then multiply by 10.
So 18 × 5 = (18 ÷ 2) × 10 = 9 × 10 = 90.
For multiplying by 9, multiply by 10 and subtract the original number.
So 7 × 9 = (7 × 10) - 7 = 70–7 = 63.
Special Number Tricks
Now, let me blow your mind with some special number tricks.
First up, squaring numbers ending in 5. It's easier than you think:
- Take the tens digit and multiply it by its successor
- Slap 25 on the end
Let's square 65:
- The tens digit is 6. Multiply 6 by its successor (7): 6 × 7 = 42
- Add 25 to the end
- So 65² = 4225
Works every time, like clockwork. Try it with 95²:
- 9 × 10 = 90
- Add 25
- So 95² = 9025
Advanced Vedic Math Tricks for Older Kids
Multiplication of Large Numbers
Vedic math has a powerful technique for multiplying big numbers in your head. It's called "Vertically and Crosswise" or "Urdhva Tiryagbhyam" if you want to sound fancy.
Here's how it works for two 2-digit numbers:
- Multiply the ones digits
- Cross-multiply the tens and ones digits and add the results
- Multiply the tens digits
Let's take 23 x 14 as an example:
- 3 x 4 = 12 (ones digit is 2, carry 1)
- (2 x 4) + (3 x 1) = 8 + 3 = 11 (add carried 1 to get 12)
- 2 x 1 = 2
Boom! The answer is 322.
As a bonus, this worked for bigger numbers! You just break it down and apply this technique in stages.
Complex Algebraic Operations
Now, let's talk about solving complex algebraic operations. Vedic math has a sutra (that's a fancy word for a rule) called "Anurupye Shunyamanyat." It means "if one is in ratio, the other is zero." Sounds complicated, right? Well, it's not. Let me show you how it works for quadratic equations.
This sutra is particularly useful for solving quadratic equations. Here's how it can be applied:
For a quadratic equation in the form ax² + bx + c = 0:
- Multiply 'a' and 'c'
- Find two numbers whose product is 'ac' and sum is 'b'
- Rewrite the middle term using these two numbers
- Apply the sutra to solve the equation
Take an equation like x² + 7x + 12 = 0. Here's how you crack it:
- Multiply the first and last terms: 1 x 12 = 12
- Find two numbers that multiply to give 12 and add up to 7 (the middle term coefficient). In this case, it's 3 and 4.
- Rewrite the equation: x² + 3x + 4x + 12 = 0
- Group terms: (x² + 3x) + (4x + 12) = 0
- Factor out common terms: x(x + 3) + 4(x + 3) = 0
- Apply the sutra: (x + 4)(x + 3) = 0
- Solve: x = -4 or x = -3
Just like that, you've solved a quadratic equation faster than you can say "polynomial."
Division Techniques
Now, let's talk about division. Vedic math has a technique called the "Nikhilam Sutra" or the base method. It's perfect for when your divisor is close to a power of 10.
Here's how it works:
- Pick a base (usually the nearest power of 10 to your divisor)
- Express the divisor as a deviation from this base
- Do some simple multiplications and subtractions
Let's divide 432 by 98:
- Base is 100 (nearest to 98)
- 98 = 100–2
- So, 432 ÷ 98 = 432 ÷ (100–2)
Now, follow these steps: a) 432 ÷ 100 = 4.32 b) 4.32 x 2 = 8.64 c) 4.32 + 0.0864 = 4.4064
The answer is about 4.41.
These techniques are like having a supercomputer in your head.
Books for Learning Vedic Math
If your kid is serious about mastering Vedic math, they need the right tools. Here are some books that'll give them the edge:
"The Curious Hats of Magical Maths" by James Glover
This one's for the youngsters, around 8–9 years old. It's like dipping your toes in the Vedic math pool - easy, fun, and it'll get you started on the right foot.
"Vedic Math Workbook 1" published by Om Books International
This is where the rubber meets the road. It's packed with problems for kids 8 and up to solve using Vedic techniques. Remember what I always say - practice makes perfect. This book gives you that practice.
"Vedic Mathematics for Students" by Nava Vision
This is part of a 5-level series that covers all 16 Vedic math sutras and 13 sub-sutras. It's like the Bible of Vedic math.
Now, don't just buy these books and let them collect dust. Remind your kids to read them. Use them. And make them a part of their daily routine!
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that it motivated you to teach your kids Vedic math (or any of its contemporaries).
See you in the next chapter 🙂 Be well.
About the author
Richard Reis
Founder of Mental Math Pro! Also currently doing a fun little "25 AI Startups in 50 Weeks" challenge.
