(Pronounced "Vay-dick") A system based on 16
sutras contained in the
Vedas,
Vedic Mathematics makes it
possible to solve long mathematical problems
very quickly in one's head. Some of the sutras and corollaries do require paper and pen, however.
Vedic maths were lost for centuries before
Sri Bharati Krisna Tirthaji rediscovered them from 1911 to 1918. The original 16 volumes of his work were synthesized into his final work,
Vedic Mathematics, published in 1965, five years after his death.
These 16
mathematical shortcuts and their
corollaries (also called the
upsutras or
subsutras) are explained in the nodes below:
- Ekadhikina Purvena; corollary: Anurupyena
- Nikhilam Navatashcaramam Dashatah; corollary: Sisyate Sesasamjnah
- Urdhva-Tiryagbyham; corollary: Adyamadyenantyamantyena
- Paraavartya Yojayet; corollary: Kevalaih Saptakam Gunyat
- Shunyam Saamyasamuccaye; corollary: Vestanam
- Anurupye - Shunyamanyat; corollary: Yavadunam Tavadunam
- Sankalana - Vyavakalanabhyam; corollary: Yavadunam Tavadunikritya Varga Yojayet
- Puranapuranabyham; corollary: Antyayor Dasakepi
- Chalana - Kalanabyham; corollary: Antyayoreva
- Yaavadunam; corollary: Samuccayagunitah
- Vyashtisamanstih; corollary: Lopanasthapanabhyam
- Shesanyankena Charamena; corollary: Vilokanam
- Sopaantyadvayamantyam; corollaries: Gunitasamuchyah and Samuccayagunitah
- Ekanyunena Purvena; corollary: Dhvajanka
- Gunitasamuchyah; corollary: Dwandwa Yoga
- Samuccayagunitah; corollary: Adyam Antyam Madhyam
So far, I have only noded the 18 sutras and corollaries that I was absolutely certain I understood. The sutras and corollaries that are italicized are not currently noded.
Important Note: There is much controversy over whether these sutras were actually found in the Vedas, or if Tirthaji invented some or all of them. Tirthaji said these sutras were found in an appendix of
Atharvaveda, which is now lost. There is also controversy (and some
conspiracy theory) over whether these sutras can be called a mathematical system. To read about the controversy, see the last three links listed in the resources below.
RESOURCES:
Vedic Mathematics by Sri Bharati Krisna Tirthaji
http://www.vedamu.org/Mathematics/course.asp
http://www.sanalnair.org/articles/vedmath/intro.htm
http://www.vedicganita.org/ganitsutras.htm
http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa062901a.htm
http://www.vedicmaths.org/
http://www.hinduism.co.za/vedic.htm
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,64575,00.html
Mathemagics by Arthur Benjamin and Michael B. Shermer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedic_math
http://www.tifr.res.in/~vahia/dani-vmsm.pdf
http://www.sacw.net/DC/CommunalismCollection/ArticlesArchive/NoVedic.html