The 5 best mental calculation methods in the world
Shopping Product ReviewsToday you can define mental math in several different ways. Some would say that memorizing multiplication tables and remembering the solutions can be part of mental math. Some would say that the ability to perform simple calculations in your head can be mental math.
The web dictionary defines mental math as “Calculate an exact answer without using pencil and paper or other physical aids.”
Today there are five methods available to learn and practice mental mathematics.
Let’s start with the first one called ‘Memorize’ or better known as the memorization method where your teachers ask you to catch boring multiplication tables. It not only kills the child’s interest in math but also makes him develop a hatred of the subject for the rest of his years of studying it. This system gives its ardent devotee some degree of success initially, as he is able to respond to easy problems, but then, when the supposedly bigger application problems arise, the steam almost runs out.
The second gives you a good degree of success and I would highly recommend it to younger people. He hails from China and is popular under the name The Abacus (also known as Soroban in Japan). An abacus is a calculating tool, often built as a wooden frame with beads sliding on wires. With the use of this tool you can perform calculations related to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with ease. Gradually one practices with the tool in hand and then, when experienced, one learns to do it without the tool. This tool then mentally adjusts itself to the mind and you can then add, subtract, multiply and divide in seconds. This tool also improves a child’s concentration levels.
The main drawback of this system is that it focuses only on the 4 mathematical operations. Concepts beyond these operations, such as Algebra, Square Roots, Cubes, Squares, Calculus, and Geometry, etc., cannot be solved using it at all. It also takes more time to be able to fully understand the system, which is why you see courses in the abacus that extend to more than 2 years, leading the child to boredom and then drop out of the course.
Another Chinese system compiled mainly from the book. The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art design an approach to mathematics that focuses on finding the most general methods for solving problems. Entries in the book generally take the form of a problem statement, followed by a solution statement and an explanation of the procedure that led to the solution.
The methods explained in this system can hardly be described as mental and they lack speed to boot. The Chinese were definitely the most advanced of the civilization thanks to the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, but if I had to choose between the two methods that this culture offers, it would be the abacus.
If wars have a 99.99% downside, they can sometimes also have upsides because they give rise to stories of hope and creativity. The following mental calculation system was developed during World War II in the Nazi concentration camp by a Ukrainian mathematician Jakow Trachtenberg to keep his mind occupied. What resulted is now known as the Trachtenberg Speed Mathematics System and consists of Rapid Mental Methods for doing Mathematics.
The system consists of a series of easy-to-memorize patterns that allow you to perform arithmetic calculations very quickly. It has broader applications than the abacus and, in addition to the four basic methods of operation, it covers squares and square roots.
The method focuses mainly on multiplication and even provides patterns for multiplication by a particular number, say 5,6,7 and even 11 and 12. It then provides a general method for fast multiplication and a special two-finger method. After practicing the method myself, I found that multiplication was a very applicable mental method, but the other methods for solving division and square roots were not very friendly and impossible to do mentally. I was searching for a much better and healthier method where I could easily perform other operations as well. Another drawback of this system was that, like the abacus, it could not have a broader scope, that is, cover other fields such as algebra, calculus, trigonometry, cube roots, etc.
A recommendation from a friend of mine in the United States introduced me to what is known as the Kumon mathematical method. It was founded by Japanese educator Toru Kumon in the 1950s, and as of 2007, more than 4 million children were studying with the Kumon Method in more than 43 different countries.
Students do not work together as a class but progress through the curriculum at their own pace, moving to the next level when they have mastered the previous level. this sometimes implies repeating the same set of worksheets until the student achieves a satisfactory score within a specified time limit. At Kumon Centers in North America, the math program starts with very basic skills, like pattern recognition and counting, and progresses to increasingly challenging subjects like calculus, probability, and statistics. The Kumon Method does not cover geometry as a separate topic, but it does provide enough geometry practice to meet the prerequisites for trigonometry, which is covered within the Kumon math program.
I was very impressed by the glamor that surrounded Kumon, but a look at its syllabus left me sorely disappointed. He is not mental at all. It doesn’t offer any special method to do math and one doesn’t improve the speed of it by doing Kumon Math. There is a set curriculum of worksheets that one does until mastery of the subject is achieved. Let’s say, for example, a sheet on Division: one would continue to do the division in the conventional way until a satisfactory score was obtained, and then move on to a higher level. This certainly doesn’t make the division any faster and the process is certainly not mental.
A deep reflection on the reason for its tremendous popularity in the United States led me to conclude that the lack of a franchise business model of the Trachtenberg abacus and speed system in the 1950s. The franchise model was instrumental in leading the way from one country to another. This is where Toru Kumon thrived.
Disappointed with other cultures in the world, my search made me look at my own Indian culture. What I found amazed me and amazed me so much that I fell in love with the system and started training neighborhood students on it.
This is easily the World’s Fastest Mental Math System called High Speed Vedic Math. It has its roots in the ancient Indian scriptures called Vedas which means ‘the source of knowledge’. With it you can not only add, subtract, multiply or divide, which is the limiting factor of the abacus, but also solve complex math such as algebra, geometry, calculus and trigonometry. Some of the most advanced, complex and arduous problems can be solved using the Vedic Mathematics method with extreme ease.
And all this with formulas of only 16 words written in Sanskrit.
High Speed Vedic Mathematics was founded by Swami Sri Bharati Krishna Tirthaji Maharaja who was the Sankaracharya (Monk of the Highest Order) of Govardhan Matha in Puri between 1911 and 1918. They are called “Vedic” because the sutras are contained in the Atharva-veda – a branch of mathematics and engineering in the scriptures of ancient India.
Vedic high speed mathematics is much more systematic, simplified and unified than the conventional system. It is a mental calculation tool that encourages the development and use of intuition and innovation, while giving the student a lot of flexibility, fun and satisfaction . For his son, it means giving him a competitive edge, a way to optimize his performance and give him an edge in math and logic that will help him shine in the classroom and beyond.
Therefore, it is straightforward and easy to implement in schools – one reason behind its enormous popularity between academics and students. It complements the Mathematics curriculum conventionally taught in schools by acting as a powerful control tool and goes to save precious time in exams.
The Trachtenberg Method is often compared to Vedic Mathematics. In fact, even some of the multiplication methods are surprisingly similar. The Trachtenberg system is the closest to the Vedic System in comparison and ease of methods. But the ease and mental solvency of the other method, especially division, square roots, cube roots, algebraic equations, trigonometry, calculus, etc. they clearly give an advantage to the Vedic system. It is even said that NASA is using some of the applications of this method in the field of artificial intelligence.
There are only 16 Vedic math sutras or word formulas that one needs to practice in order to be proficient in the Vedic math system. Sutras or Word Math Formulas like Vertically and Crosswise, All from Nine and Last from ten help to solve complex problems with ease and a single formula can also be applied to two or more fields at the same time. The vertical and transversal formula is a gem with which one can multiply, find squares, solve simultaneous equations, and find the determinant of a matrix all at the same time.
If any of these methods are learned at a young age, a 14-year-old student can easily perform lightning-fast calculations during his exams and excel in them.
Vedic mathematics is rapidly gaining popularity in this millennium. It is being considered as the only mental calculation system suitable for a child, as it helps to develop her numerical and mental abilities. The methods are new and practical and only teach Quick Mental Math.
The system does not focus on rote learning like the Kumon Method. The system focuses on improving intelligence by teaching fundamentals and alternative methods. The purpose is not limited to improving performance in school or tests, but to provide a broader perspective that results in improved mathematical intelligence and mental acuity.
To know more about Vedic Mathematics Sutras – The World’s Fastest Mental Mathematics System you can visit http://www.vedicmathsindia.org
This article is by Gaurav Tekriwal, Chairman of the Vedic Mathematics Forum of India, who has been conducting high-speed Vedic mathematics workshops for the past five years and has trained over seven thousand students worldwide in the field. He is the author of the best-selling DVD on the subject containing over 10 hours on the subject. He is an expert on the subject and revolutionizes the way children learn math.