70 - Vedic Maths and Me

VEDIC MATHEMATICS NEWSLETTER

ISSUE No. 70

A warm welcome to our new subscribers.
Vedic Mathematics is becoming increasingly popular as more and more people are introduced to the beautifully unified and easy Vedic methods. The purpose of this Newsletter is to provide information about developments in education and research and books, articles, courses, talks etc., and also to bring together those working with Vedic Mathematics. If you are working with Vedic Mathematics - teaching it or doing research - please contact us and let us include you and some description of your work in the Newsletter. Perhaps you would like to submit an article for inclusion in a later issue or tell us about a course or talk you will be giving or have given. If you are learning Vedic Maths, let us know how you are getting on and what you think of this system.

This issue's article is by Dennis Bramwell. Dennis is a mathematician who has taught in schools, colleges and universities. His book entitled INTRODUCING VEDIC MATHEMATICS which contains his new subtraction method, is awaiting publication.
 

VEDIC MATHS AND ME

I first heard about Vedic Mathematics in 1994. This is how it happened. I read an article in the Guardian about a school that practiced meditation and I was intrigued. I went to visit the school and the head of maths told me that they taught vedic maths as part of the curriculum. I straight away bought the book Vedic Mathematics and it blew my mind. Why did my maths teachers not teach me this stuff when I was at school?

Anyway fast forward to 1996 when I was in Jamaica on holiday. I was in Linstead relaxing when the thought occurred to me about a new way of subtracting numbers which involved complements and addition. I was very excited and I arranged to give lectures in Vedic maths including my new method of subtraction at various schools and at the University.

My first lecture was at a primary school in Harbour View. I asked the teacher to pick out the worst student in arithmetic and I took her aside and taught her my new subtraction method. I started the lecture with a subtraction contest between the teacher and my little girl. To my surprise my little girl froze at the start but after about 4 seconds she began and finished the same time as the teacher, but guess what, a pupil noticed that the answers were different and lo and behold the teacher had made a mistake.

I came back to England and gave lectures at various schools and colleges and was encouraged to write a book on Vedic maths. I told my head of department but he was so disinterested that I gave up on the idea. Fast forward to September 2008. I have suffered from bipolar disorder for more than 30 years, and in a hyper manic state I got down and wrote the book in two weeks flat. I gave it to a typist but she made so many mistakes that it was useless. I came off my high and went into a depressive state.

After a long wait I finally got psychological counselling in July 2009. The counsellor asked me "What could get you out of this depression?" and I said that I had written a book and thought that if I began typing it myself then it would lift my mood. She gave me the task to type one page by our next meeting on Thursday. When Thursday came around I hadn't done anything but I felt ashamed so I typed half a page. It took me over an hour. I took it to her and she congratulated me on making a start and I realised that I was not depressed anymore. I started typing a page a day on July 30 and I completed the book by the end of August. At the end I was typing a page in less than 45 minutes. Vedic Maths took me out of my depression and I have not been depressed since.

Dennis Bramwell Ph D

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NEWS

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UPDATE FROM FLORIDA - Rick Blum writes

During July and August, I provided Vedic Math presentations to eight of the local civic clubs in my area. At the beginning of each presentation, I sensed the skepticism of the attendees regarding how interesting a talk about "math" was going to be. By the end of my talk, they were all looking forward for another presentation. Being civic clubs, they are always looking to raise money for charitable causes. I suggested having a VM workshop open to children of members to help them raise money. Several of the groups found this to be a novel idea and are attempting to put something together.

I have found that presenting VM workshops to homeschoolers has been very rewarding. I have done several around the State of Florida with several more already scheduled and in the planning stages. Last weekend, I was invited to do a presentation at LifeFest 2010. This was an annual convention for homeschoolers from around the state. I had about 40 people attend my presentation. As usual, even though everyone appeared to enjoy the discussion, it was more fun for me than it was for them.

I recently did a presentation for a company that runs programs that provide special training for the unemployed. I contacted the executive director and explained that the benefits of Vedic Math were two-fold:

1. It would obviously elevate their math skills which could be very important to them in obtaining employment, but, more importantly

2. By giving them the ability to do math faster than they could ever do before, their self-esteem and self-confidence would benefit greatly.

It was suggested that the first group I do should be the company's managers. I anticipated doing a workshop from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM for this group. As the time for the workshop to end was approaching, they all indicated that 12-1 was their lunch hour and, if I was willing, they could stay for another hour to learn more VM. This was exactly what we did. Everyone enjoyed the program and felt that their unemployed "clients" would really enjoy the workshop and it would help them in their lives. In addition, they indicated to me that they run youth programs and wanted me to consider running some workshops for them also. Overall, it was a great day for me and VM.

At the end of this month, I was asked to do a presentation for the Florida Council for Teachers of Mathematics on VM. This group represents the public school math teachers in the State of Florida. I will endeavor to do what I can to interest them in VM.

Rick Blum

Ormond Beach, Florida

RESEARCHERS IN VM

We thinking of opening a list of researchers in Vedic Maths which will be available on the Vedic Maths Academy website: www.vedicmaths.org. This could show the researcher's names, locations and areas of research and could facilitate the flow of ideas, contacts and so on.

If you wish to be included please email us at with your details.

Kenneth Williams

TUTOR IN THE NEW YORK AREA

Please contact us at if you are a Vedic Math tutor in the New York area or know someone who is.

VM TUTORS

We sometimes get requests from parents and other individuals asking for a tutor in a particular area of a country, and we cannot always help. If you are a Vedic Maths tutor please let us put your details onto our "VM Tutors" page at: http://www.vedicmaths.org/Community/vm%20tutors.asp

If you are on the list but no longer tutoring please let us know so that we can remove you.

BOOKSTORE CHANGES

Some changes have been made to the Bookstore at www.vedicmaths.org.

Now that most books are being printed in the USA as well as in the UK we have been able to reduce the postage for books going to the USA.

All prices are now shown in US dollars, and postage is included in the price shown.

TRACHTENBERG TECHNIQUE

7. 5. Multiplying by 9
" Rule: to multiply by 9:
1. Subtract the last digit from 10.
2. For each of the remaining digits, subtract it from 9, and add its neighbor.
3. Finally, prepend one less than the first digit.
" Example: 2,130 × 9 = 19,170
1. 10 - 0 = 10. Write 0; carry 1.
2. 9 - 3 = 6; 6 + 0 + 1 (carried) = 7. Write 7.
3. 9 - 1 = 8; 8 + 3 = 11. Write 1; carry 1.
4. 9 - 2 = 7; 7 + 1 + 1 (carried) = 9. Write 9.
5. 2 - 1 = 1. Write 1.
It looks like the application of all from nine the last from 10 but done from right to left.
Win
http://wapedia.mobi/en/Trachtenberg_system
Sent by Win Powell, USA

VEDIC MATHS ACADEMY IN DOMBILVI, INDIA

Run by Girish V. Oswal
Sudarshan Nagar, MIDC,
Dombivli East - 421203
Email:
Cell No: +91 9819001760

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CORRESPONDENCE

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I am really impressed to teach Vedic math to my kids and the system is really working. My kids enjoy learning math and scoring highest mark in every tests and exams.

Thanks so much
Harris

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Your comments about this Newsletter are invited.
If you would like to send us details about your work or submit an article or details about a course/talk etc. for inclusion, please let us know on

Previous issues of this Newsletter can be copied from the Web Site: www.vedicmaths.org
Please pass a copy of this Newsletter on to anyone you think may be interested.

Editor: Kenneth Williams

Visit the Vedic Mathematics web site at: http://www.vedicmaths.org

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28th September 2010

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