Introduction

Introduction

 

Ten-year old Truman Henry
Safford (born 1836)
was asked:

‘Multiply in your head
365,365,365,365,365,365
by
365,365,365,365,365,365.

He flew around the room like
a top, pulled his pantaloons
over the top of his boots,
bit his hand, rolled his
eyes in their sockets,
sometimes smiling and
talking, and then seeming to
be in an agony, until, in not more
than one minute, said he,

“133,491,850,208,566,925,016,658,299,941,583,225!”’

‘Lightning calculators’, are not that uncommon and while we may not be able to match the brilliance of a Truman Henry Safford, we can all develop, with the aid of this book, a talent at mental mathematics.

With these super-easy methods you need no longer be caught between the drudgery of the old dinosaur methods and the ‘cop-out’ of the calculator. When Bharati Krsna Tirthaji reconstructed the ancient system of Vedic Maths (used in this book) earlier this century, he uncovered a beautifully integrated and complete system of maths which had been lost for centuries. The Vedic system mirrors the way the mind naturally works and so is designed to be done mentally.

Fun with Figures is for those who think they are no good at maths- and for those who are good at maths. It is for those who would like to steal a little lightning. The book answers a need of our time, offering easy, enjoyable maths which improves mental agility and memory, promotes confidence and creativity as well as being useful in everyday life.

Each double page shows a simple mathematical method and so is independent of the others (with two exceptions, which are indicated). In addition to the various everyday situations indicated in this book, you will surely find many other occasions for the use of these easy methods. There are many exercises for you to practice and answers at the end of the book.

 

   

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