Vedic Math ... how & why do they work?

thanks to Loren C. for pointing me to this

Here's a neato list of strategies to simpify certain mathematical operations, known as the Vedic Math Sutras.

Vedic Mathematics was rediscovered from ancient Sanskrit texts (known as the Vedas, over two thousand years old) by Bharati Krsna Tirthaji (1884-1960). Krsna wrote sixteen volumes expounding the Vedic system, but they were all lost ... so he wrote a single volume (published posthumously in 1965).

Here are the main sixteen
>So what do they ...?
Patience.
I've started some explanations.
Just click on the number.

1* By one more than the one before.
2* All from 9 and the last from 10.
3* Vertically and Cross-wise
4* Transpose and Apply
5* If the Samuccaya is the Same it is Zero
6* If One is in Ratio the Other is Zero
7* By Addition and by Subtraction
8* By the Completion or Non-Completion

9* Differential Calculus
10 By the Deficiency
11 Specific and General
12 The Remainders by the Last Digit
13* The Ultimate and Twice the Penultimate
14 By One Less than the One Before
15 The Product of the Sum
16 All the Multipliers

>Just started?
Yes ... just the first three, so far. Now I need to find out what all those other ones are

The sixteen sutras are also known by these names:

1: Ekadhikena Purvena 2: Nikhilam Navatashcaramam Dash 3: Urdhva-tiryagbhyam 4: Paraavartya Yojayet
5: Shunyam Saamyasamuccaye 6: (Anurupye) Shunyamanyat 7: Sankalana-vyavakalanabhyam 8: Puranapuranabhyam
9: Chalana-Kalanabhyam 10: Yaavadunam 11: Vyashtisamanshtih 12: Shesanyankena Charamena
13: Sopaantyadvayamantyam 14: Ekanynena Purvena 15: Gunitasamuchyah 16: Gunakasamuchyah

P.S. The Hindi language is a descendant of ancient Sanskrit
... and the most ancient form of Sanskrit (dating back to about 1500 BC) is called VEDIC Sanskrit.

new stuff

The above stuff was written in mid-2003. I could find no info (other than their names) ... except on the first three sutras.
It's now July, 2004 and I got new info from Lawrence W.
With luck I'll be able to finish a few more, starting with 4*

Big note

I make no attempt to exhaust all the corollaries, extensions and various side issues of the sutras.
I'd just like to note what those strange titles mean

Example: the translation of Paraavartya Yojayet is Transpose and Apply

>Huh?
Yes, that's what I asked myself .. tho' not quite so crudely. Hence these tutorials.

P.S.
While going through the various examples given me (via e-mail) I find many errors (typos?)
... which (hopefully) don't appear in these tutorials &$%#!@*??