| First of all, let us figure out what exactly | | | | work within both systems. If a child starts |
| is mental math. Today if you search the | | | | the program later, having already received |
| phrase "mental math" you will probably end up | | | | traditional foundations, there may be a |
| with millions of options. Not exactly that | | | | slightly extended learning period for the |
| makes your life easy; instead it builds up | | | | child to accept and integrate the abacus |
| and strengthens your curiosity. Put in | | | | method. |
| simplest terms, mental math can be defined as | | | | |
| calculations performed in your head - | | | | Vedic Mental Mathematics |
| mentally - without help of any external | | | | |
| device be it as simple as pen and paper or | | | | What is Vedic mental mathematics? Origin of |
| any modern day device such as calculator, | | | | Vedic Mathematics is in Atharva Veda (Holy |
| computer or any other electronic gadget. | | | | Scripture from Hinduism). Vedic mathematics |
| | | | is a system based on sixteen sutras |
| We humans perform mental mathematical | | | | (aphorisms) which are actually word-formulae |
| calculations everyday, consciously and | | | | describing natural ways of solving a whole |
| unconsciously. When you are driving you | | | | range of mathematical problems. These |
| figure out when to apply brakes to bring the | | | | formulae describe the way the mind naturally |
| vehicle to stop before hitting something. You | | | | works and are therefore a great help in |
| figure out time difference between east coast | | | | directing the student to the appropriate |
| and west coast. But where we falter is at the | | | | method of solution. |
| simplest and most mundane of calculations. Go | | | | |
| to a restaurant and figure out 18% gratuity. | | | | It is claimed and proven by many researchers |
| | | | in Asia that practice and use of Vedic |
| Abacus Mental Mathematics | | | | mathematics helps the person in many |
| | | | different aspects of decision making. From |
| What is abacus mental mathematics? Origin of | | | | intelligent guessing to thinking outside the |
| Abacus is highly disputed today, some say it | | | | box ability. Vedic mathematics has its |
| originated in Mesopotamia and some claim to | | | | applications to much advanced mathematics, |
| be in China. Over centuries, abacus has | | | | such as calculus and linear algebra. The |
| evolved in to various different forms and | | | | sixteen sutras are: By one more than the one |
| sizes. The most commonly used is the Japanese | | | | before, All from 9 and the last from 10, |
| Soroban Abacus. | | | | Vertically and crosswise, Transpose and |
| | | | apply, If the Samuccaya is the same it is |
| The Soroban Abacus consists of one upper row | | | | zero, If one is in ratio the other is zero, |
| and four lower rows and columns vary from | | | | By addition and by subtraction, By the |
| thirteen, fifteen, seventeen or twenty one. | | | | completion or non-completion, Differential |
| It is claimed and proven by many researchers | | | | calculus, By the deficiency, Specific and |
| in Asia that Abacus stimulates whole brain | | | | general, The remainders by the last digit, |
| development. When children use both hands to | | | | The ultimate and twice the penultimate, By |
| move the abacus beads to perform arithmetic | | | | one less than the one before, The product of |
| calculations, there is quick communication | | | | the sum, and All the multipliers |
| between the hands and the brain that | | | | |
| stimulates both the right and left | | | | Today, both these methods have made a come |
| hemispheres of the brain. This promotes | | | | back in Asia. Abacus Mental Math method is |
| rapid, balanced whole brain development. | | | | extremely popular in nations of China, |
| | | | Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Korea and India |
| If a child starts learning the abacus before | | | | whereas Vedic Mental Math method is extremely |
| being taught traditional arithmetic, there is | | | | popular only in India. |
| minimal conflict and the child will easily | | | | |