Vertically and Crosswise

We are now at the point to learn a Vedic Math method that will allow us to: 1) increase the speed that we do addition and subtraction of fractions, and 2) allow us to arrive at the answer without having to write down any intermediate steps. The sutra that allows us to do this is translated as vertically and crosswise. The application of this method is so simple and powerful that you will all be angry that you never had it taught to you before. Let us start with the solution to fraction problems, that is, find the sum or difference of two given fractions. As an example, let suppose that we want to calculate:

1 3

2 5

Before I show you the VM way to do this simple problem, let me suggest that you do something first. Take a piece of paper and fold it in half. On the top of the paper, write this problem twice, once on the left hand side and once on the right hand side. On the left side, work out the problem the standard way finding the lowest common denominator, adjusting numerators and then combining the two fractions. In addition, I want you to time yourself doing this. I did this and it took me about 17 seconds. This problem is not especially hard to do, but, there are a certain number of intermediate steps that I needed to go through and write down in order to get the answer which is 11/15. Applying the vertical and crosswise sutra, I am able to look at the problem and just write the answer directly without having to write down any intermediate steps. The time it took me to get the answer was about 2 or 3 seconds. Heres how I did it: Step 1: multiply the numerator of the first fraction by the denominator of the second fraction and add that to the result you get when you multiply the denominator of the first fraction by the numerator of the second fraction. Think of this as crosswise multiplication. This result is the numerator of your answer. Step 2: multiply the denominators of the two fractions together. This is the denominator of your answer. Lets see how the two steps are applied in our problem. In step 1, we multiply the numerator of our first fraction 1 by the denominator of our second fraction 5 resulting in 5. To this we add the product of the denominator of the first fraction 3 by the numerator of the second fraction 2 resulting in 6. When we add these two products together we get 5 plus 6 which is 11. This is the numerator of our answer. In step 2, we multiply the denominators together 3 times 5 result ing in 15; this is the denominator of our answer. Therefore, the final answer is 11/15. Lets try another one. How about if we have to calculate:

3 7

1 5

Step 1: Find the sum of the cross products. This is (3) (5) + (1) (7) = 22 This is our numerator. Step 2: Find the product of the denominators. This is (7)(5) = 35. This is our denominator.

So far we have 22/35. Remember to add the integers attached to the fractions. In this case, the only integer is the 22 2 attached to the second fraction. Therefore, the answer is 2 . Again, try to add these fractions the old way 35 and then the Vedic way and see the difference in time. One last addition of fraction problem for you to solve. How about: 9
3 2 +4 8 5

This is not a difficult problem, but, again lets see if we can determine the answer directly and write the answer 31 immediately. I see 13 . There was no need to write any intermediate steps. Following the vertically and 40 crosswise sutra, the solution is immediate. Time yourself to determine how much faster this method is than the old standard way we were all taught. At this point, try a few addition of fraction problems that you make up yourself. If you have any questions regarding how to do these problems, let me know and I help you. Now, lets apply this sutra to the difference of two fractions. It is basically the same steps with one change. In the addition of two fractions, in step 1, we found the first cross product and added it to the second cross product. To find the difference of two fractions, we find the first cross product and then subtract the second cross product. The second step is the same, multiply the denominators of the two fractions. Lets try the following problem: 5
2 4 -3 3 7

Step 1: The 1st cross product is (2)(7)=14. The 2 nd cross product is (4)(3)=12. Now subtract the 2nd cross product from the 1st 14-12 = 2. Step 2: The denominator of the answer equals, as before, the product of the denominators. In this case (3)(7) = 21.
2 . Now subtract the integers to get the integral part of 21 2 our solution, 5 3 = 2. Therefore, our final answer is 2 . This is as simple and as straightforward as the 21 addition of fractions described above. Lets try another problem:

Therefore, the fractional part of our answer is

3 1 7 3

Step 1: The numerator of our solution is equal to the difference of the cross products: (3)(3) (1)(7) = 2. Step 2: The denominator of our solution is the product of the denominators: (7)(3) = 21. Therefore the 2 fractional part of our solution is . Lets subtract the integers attached to the fractions: 2 0 = 2. The solution 21 2 is therefore 2 . Try a few problems on your own. 21

There is a little complication that can sometimes occur when subtracting fractions. This complication occurs in step 1 when the first cross product is less than the second cross product. When this occurs, the difference of the two cross products results in a negative number. The following two problems will demonstrate this.
2 4 - . In this first example, the second fraction is larger than the first 7 5 fraction. Therefore, we know that the answer will be negative. Performing step 1, the difference of the cross 18 products: (2)(5) (4)(7) = -18. Step 2 results in (7)(5) = 35. Therefore, the final answer is - . No real 35 difficulty so far. We expected a negative number and received one. Now, lets look at another example:

Example 1: If we need to calculate

3 2 -3 7 3

Step 1: Find the difference of the cross products: (3)(3)-(2)(7) = -5. Step 2: The denominator in the answer is simply the product of the denominators in the problem: (7)(3) 5 = 21. Therefore, the fractional part of the answer equals - . The integral part of the answer is 5 3 = 2. 21 5 5 Therefore, we end up with the answer 2 [- ]. So what does this mean? It means that we need to subtract 21 21 16 from 2. Therefore, we arrive at our answer of 1 . This is really not that difficult. Again, try a few problems on 21 your own. The VM method will produce the answer either directly or with maybe 1 intermediate mental step. At this point, you should be able to do addition and subtraction of fractions in your head. No more determining lowest common denominators and no more writing down intermediate steps. Instead of determining the answer in a bunch of little steps, we jump directly to the answer. One other benefit of this method that I have found is that the less you have to write down on the paper and the less number work that you have to do to get the answer, the more likely you will get the right answer. The next handout will demonstrate how we can use this vertically and crosswise sutra to multiply numbers in our head and just write down the answer directly. I will show you how to multiply 2 digits by 2 digits, e.g., 35 x 72, in your head, as well as 3 digits by 3 digits, 4 digits by 4 digits, etc. This method is so powerful yet deceptively simple to apply, that you will look like a math genius when you do these problems.

Copyright, 2006 Richard Blum, All rights reserved, No reprints without permission