Expansion of Binomials and Factorisation of Quadratic Expressions: Exploring a Vedic Method
Mala Saraswathy Nataraj and Michael O. J. ThomasMany students have traditionally found the processes of algebraic manipulation, especially factorisation, difficult to learn. This study investigated the value of introducing students, after standard methods, to a Vedic method of multiplication of numbers that is very visual in its application. We wondered whether applying the method to quadratic expressions would assist student understanding, not only of the processes but also the concepts of expansion and factorisation. We found that there was some evidence this was the case, with some students preferring to use the new method. Thus results suggest it may be a useful adjunct to traditional approaches.