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It is on one of the most important decision to take in Maths Learning on- “Vedic Maths or Abacus” and “ “which one is better”.Parents, teachers, academicians always want that students should be proficient in maths and are always researching on this. Accordingly to their findings they take their decisions. Here we help you know about the two programs in a detailed way so that you are able to make best decision for your child.
What is abacus?
Abacus is a rectangular tool with beads in it used for the purpose of counting and calculations. The tool has been used for a long time to help children understand maths. It has been used at abacus centers, in schools especially at early ages of child in KG, Grade 1 and Grade 2. Each bead represents numbers and uses place value concept for higher numbers. There is a horizontal bar in the rectangular tool. In the initial years the child learns maths with the help of this tool and later the child is able to do the same mentally by visualizing abacus in the mind. The abacus program helps the child to increase to speed and accuracy in math calculations. It develops left and right side of the brain and is also called brain development program. Most of the abacus programs have 2.5- 3 years of duration where in the child learns to calculate faster in maths operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
What is Vedic Maths?
Vedic Maths is a math program that helps to develop maths speed and accuracy. It has a lot of shortcut tricks and techniques for faster calculation called Vedic Sutras. These methods are easy to pick up. Vedic Maths as a concept finds its roots in India. Shri Bharti Krishna Tirathji is called the father of Vedic Maths who had conceived all the Vedic Sutras in his book. Children from 8 years of age can start learning Vedic maths. Vedic Sutras are the speed building methods, and they are used for faster calculations, in addition, subtraction, multiplications, division, squares, cubes, square roots, cube roots, HCF, LCM, and other higher calculations. Many of the schools have also started to adopt it in their math clubs, small exercises in maths books, and as an after-school math program. However, for a thorough study, it requires 8-12 months to be proficient in Vedic Maths. You can find here a detailed description of What is Vedic Maths.
Key Difference between Vedic Maths and Abacus
Sno | Parameter | Abacus | Vedic Maths |
1 | Meaning | Tool used for calculation | A Learning methodology having Vedic Sutras also called as short cut tricks and techniques in maths. |
2 | How it Helps | It helps in faster calculation | It helps in faster calculation |
3 | Usage of Tool | Requires tool in the intial period | Does not require any tool |
4 | Application in School Maths | Since in the initial year, the child is dependent on tool, so children can have difficulty in application at school. At a later stage, when child is able to do calculation mentally, the application is more useful in school maths | Since it does not require any tool, the application of vedic maths in calculations at school or beyond is easy . The child can apply the concepts learnt immediately in school maths. |
5 | In what age group kids can start learning | 7-9 years | 8 years |
6 | Origin | Not known | India |
7 | Duration of Program | 2-3 years | 8-12 months |
8 | Rough work | It helps to reduce rough work | It helps to reduce rough work |
10 | Speed and Accuracy | It develops Speed and Accuracy in maths but may take 2-3 years | It develops speed and accuracy in maths in a few months only. |
Conclusion
Both abacus and vedic maths helps to build maths speed and accuracy, however it has been observed children are able to do pickup easily with vedic maths as it does not require any tool. It can be easily done 8-12 months of time whereas in abacus the same calculation and its speed require 2-3 years. Since abacus is based on the tool in the initial 8-12 months and carrying the tool to the school for child is generally not allowed in the maths class, hence Vedic Maths comes with more advantages. Moreover, the application of Vedic Maths has a wide spectrum and not just limited to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Vedic Maths has speed building methods on squares, cubes, square roots , cube roots, HCF, LCM and other higher calculations which are also easy to pick up for kids.
Both abacus and vedic maths have helped children in maths. It is up to the learner which methodology the learner uses to do maths. We have shown the key difference between the two. Use the above points to take your decision.