10 Easy Vedic Maths Tricks for Faster Calculations (With Examples)

Vedic maths tricks are mental shortcuts that let you multiply, square and subtract much faster than the usual column method. They are popular with school students, Olympiad aspirants and anyone preparing for competitive exams like bank, SSC or CAT, where speed in calculation saves precious minutes.

Quick answer: the easiest Vedic maths tricks to start with are multiplying by 11 (add the two digits and put the sum in the middle), squaring numbers ending in 5 (multiply the first part by one more than itself and write 25 after it), multiplying numbers close to 10, 100 or 1,000 using their difference from the base, subtracting from 1,000 using "all from 9 and the last from 10", and the "vertically and crosswise" method for any two-digit multiplication. All ten tricks below come with worked examples you can check.

What is Vedic maths?

Vedic maths is a set of 16 short rules (sutras) and 13 sub-rules for mental calculation. They were compiled by Jagadguru Swami Bharati Krishna Tirthaji in the early 20th century and published in 1965 in the book Vedic Mathematics. Despite the name, historians point out that these sutras are not found in the surviving Vedic texts; they are better seen as clever methods based on place value and algebra. That does not make them any less useful. Every trick below works because of simple algebra, and you can check each answer the normal way.

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10 easy Vedic maths tricks with examples

1. Multiply a two-digit number by 11

Write the first digit, then the sum of the two digits, then the last digit.

• 23 × 11: 2 | (2 + 3) | 3 = 253

• If the sum is 10 or more, carry 1 to the left. 87 × 11: 8 | (8 + 7 = 15) | 7. Write 5, carry 1 to the 8 to make 9: 957

2. Square a number ending in 5 (Ekadhikena Purvena: "by one more than the previous one")

Take the digits before the 5, multiply by one more than itself, and write 25 after it.

• 35²: 3 × 4 = 12, then 25: 1225

• 85²: 8 × 9 = 72, then 25: 7225

This works because (10a + 5)² = 100 × a(a + 1) + 25.

3. Multiply numbers close to 10

Find how far each number is below 10 (its deficit). Subtract one number's deficit from the other number to get the tens; multiply the deficits to get the units.

• 9 × 8: deficits 1 and 2. Tens: 9 − 2 = 7. Units: 1 × 2 = 2. Answer: 72

• 7 × 8: deficits 3 and 2. Tens: 7 − 2 = 5. Units: 3 × 2 = 6. Answer: 56

• 6 × 7: deficits 4 and 3. Tens: 6 − 3 = 3. Units: 4 × 3 = 12, so carry 1: 30 + 12 = 42

4. Multiply numbers just below 100 (Nikhilam)

The same idea with base 100. The right part must have two digits.

• 98 × 97: deficits 2 and 3. Left: 98 − 3 = 95. Right: 2 × 3 = 06. Answer: 9506

• 96 × 93: deficits 4 and 7. Left: 96 − 7 = 89. Right: 4 × 7 = 28. Answer: 8928

• 88 × 89: deficits 12 and 11. Left: 88 − 11 = 77. Right: 12 × 11 = 132, which has three digits, so carry the 1: 77 + 1 = 78, then 32. Answer: 7832

5. Multiply numbers just above 100

For numbers above the base, add instead of subtract.

• 104 × 107: excesses 4 and 7. Left: 104 + 7 = 111. Right: 4 × 7 = 28. Answer: 11128

• 108 × 96 (one above, one below): +8 and −4. Left: 108 − 4 = 104. Right: 8 × (−4) = −32, so take 1 from the left: 103 | (100 − 32 = 68). Answer: 10368

6. Square numbers near 100 (Yavadunam: "whatever the extent of its deficiency")

Reduce the number by its deficit (or increase it by its excess), then write the square of the deficit as two digits.

• 97²: deficit 3. Left: 97 − 3 = 94. Right: 3² = 09. Answer: 9409

• 96²: deficit 4. Left: 96 − 4 = 92. Right: 4² = 16. Answer: 9216

• 103²: excess 3. Left: 103 + 3 = 106. Right: 3² = 09. Answer: 10609

7. Subtract from 1,000 or 10,000 (Nikhilam Navatashcaramam Dashatah: "all from 9 and the last from 10")

Subtract every digit from 9 and the last digit from 10.

• 1000 − 357: 9 − 3 = 6, 9 − 5 = 4, 10 − 7 = 3. Answer: 643

• 10000 − 4682: 9 − 4 = 5, 9 − 6 = 3, 9 − 8 = 1, 10 − 2 = 8. Answer: 5318

• If the number ends in 0, ignore the zero, apply the rule to the rest and put the 0 back: 1000 − 350 → 100 − 35 = 65 → 650

This is the fastest way to work out change, discounts and percentages from 100.

8. Multiply by 99, 999 and so on (Ekanyunena Purvena: "by one less than the previous one")

When you multiply by a number made of 9s with the same number of digits, write one less than the number, then subtract that from the 9s.

• 47 × 99: 47 − 1 = 46. Then 99 − 46 = 53. Answer: 4653

• 356 × 999: 356 − 1 = 355. Then 999 − 355 = 644. Answer: 355644

9. Multiply any two-digit numbers (Urdhva Tiryagbhyam: "vertically and crosswise")

Work right to left in three steps: units × units, then the cross products added, then tens × tens. Carry as usual.

• 23 × 14: right: 3 × 4 = 12, write 2 carry 1. Middle: (2 × 4) + (3 × 1) = 11, plus 1 = 12, write 2 carry 1. Left: 2 × 1 = 2, plus 1 = 3. Answer: 322

• 32 × 21: right: 2 × 1 = 2. Middle: (3 × 1) + (2 × 2) = 7. Left: 3 × 2 = 6. Answer: 672

With practice, this method extends to three-digit numbers and is the most useful general trick in Vedic maths.

10. Check answers with digit sums (casting out nines)

Add the digits of each number until you get a single digit. The digit sum of the answer must match the digit sum of the calculation. It catches most mistakes in seconds.

• Check 23 × 14 = 322: 2 + 3 = 5 and 1 + 4 = 5. 5 × 5 = 25, and 2 + 5 = 7. For 322: 3 + 2 + 2 = 7. They match.

• Check 88 × 89 = 7832: 8 + 8 = 16 → 7 and 8 + 9 = 17 → 8. 7 × 8 = 56 → 11 → 2. For 7832: 7 + 8 + 3 + 2 = 20 → 2. They match.

The same digit-sum idea gives quick divisibility tests: a number is divisible by 3 if its digit sum is, and by 9 if its digit sum is. For example, 4815 has digit sum 18, so it is divisible by 9 (4815 ÷ 9 = 535). A matching digit sum does not prove an answer is right (swapped digits still match), but a mismatch always means a mistake.

Quick reference table

Also read: Can I Give an Olympiad Exam After 12th? Eligibility Rules for 2026-27

How to practise Vedic maths

1. Learn one trick at a time and do 10 to 15 questions with it before moving on.

2. Say the steps aloud at first, then try doing them fully in your head.

3. Always check a few answers the normal way or with digit sums until you trust the method.

4. Use it in real life: bills, discounts and scores are good daily practice.

5. Know when not to use it. In board exams, show the standard working the marking scheme expects; use Vedic shortcuts for checking or in MCQ-based exams.

Parents helping younger children can turn these into quick games; our tips for parents preparing kids for Olympiad exams explain how to keep practice fun. For more number skills, see our guide to prime numbers and the trigonometry table.

FAQs

What are the easiest Vedic maths tricks for beginners?

Start with multiplying by 11, squaring numbers ending in 5 and subtracting from 1,000 using "all from 9 and the last from 10". Each takes a few minutes to learn and works every time.

Is Vedic maths useful for competitive exams?

Yes. In exams like bank PO, SSC, CAT and Olympiads, tricks for multiplication, squares and checking answers save time on calculation-heavy questions. They work best alongside a solid understanding of the concepts.

How many sutras are there in Vedic maths?

There are 16 sutras and 13 sub-sutras in Bharati Krishna Tirthaji's book. A handful of them, like Nikhilam and Urdhva Tiryagbhyam, cover most everyday calculation tricks.

Can I use Vedic maths in CBSE board exams?

You can use it to calculate faster and check your answers, but write the standard steps in your answer sheet, as board marking schemes give marks for the usual method.

At what age can children learn Vedic maths?

Children who know their multiplication tables, usually from around Class 3 or 4, can start with simple tricks like multiplying by 11 and numbers near 10.

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