MULTIPLYING NUMBERS USING LINES

Here is a fun way to teach pupils and students how to multiply numbers using lines. You may represent each number by parallel lines then find their intersections. Some say that this is one of the methods used in Vedic Mathematics, a system of mathematics consisting of 16 sutras or aphorism.

Example 1:

STEP 1: Represent the first number by parallel lines. Separate the number of lines per digit. Each digit should represented by a group of line(s).

















STEP 2. Represent the second number by parallel lines but in opposite direction as the first set of lines. The red lines represent the first number and the blue lines represent the second number. Take note of the intersections of the lines.
















STEP 3: Group the intersections that are aligned vertically and count the number of intersections per group.

STEP 4: The number of intersections in each group represents the digits of the product.

Therefore,

What if the second group of numbers exceed 10? Let us have another example to illustrate this scenario.

Example 2:

Follow the same process as above. Steps 1 and 2.

Step 3:

 

Step 4:

Therefore

Now it's your turn to try this method of multiplying numbers. Try to answer the following in a clean sheet of paper:

1) 34 x 24

2) 35 x 51

3) 43 x 52

4) 36 x 63

5) 72 x 42

You can share this to your your younger brother or sister, to your cousins, to your friends, classmates...

Posted in: Everyday Math,Math Applications,Math Appreciation,Math Patterns,multiplying numbers,parallel lines,Vedic Mathematics