Back to Vedic Maths Articles

Interactive Practice Lab & Online Test

Free

Vestanam Sutra

Share:

"Vestanam," which means "By Osculation," is a powerful technique for divisibility tests, especially for prime numbers. It allows us to break down a large number into a smaller one that's easier to check.

๐Ÿ“œ History Corner

The term Vestanam relates to "osculation" or "kissing". In mathematics, it refers to the point of contact or tangency. Swami Bharati Krishna Tirtha used this term to describe a method where digits "touch" or influence the rest of the number to reveal divisibility.

The "Osculator" Rule ๐ŸŒŠ

To test divisibility, we repeatedly multiply the last digit of our number by a special number (the "osculator") and add/subtract it from the rest of the number.

Example: Is 245 Divisible by 7?

Divisor: 7 | Osculator: -2
245
Split last digit
โ†’
24 - (5 ร— 2)
Rest - (Last ร— 2)
=
14
Is 14 divisible by 7? YES!
  1. Find the Osculator for 7: The osculator for 7 is -2 (a negative osculator).
  2. First Osculation: Take the last digit of 245 (5). Multiply by -2: 5 ร— -2 = -10. Subtract from the rest (24): 24 - 10 = 14.
  3. Check the Result: Is 14 divisible by 7? Yes!
  4. Conclusion: Since the result is divisible by 7, the original number 245 is also divisible by 7.

๐ŸงชDivisibility Lab

Enter a number and a divisor (ending in 1, 3, 7, or 9) to test for divisibility.

is divisible by

๐Ÿค”Is it Divisible?

Get 20 practice problems with answer key

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Osculation method?
It is a technique to check if a number is divisible by a prime number (like 7, 13, 17, 19) by using a simple 'osculator' multiplier.
Is it hard to learn?
It requires finding the 'osculator' for the divisor, but once you know it, checking divisibility becomes a simple process of multiplication and addition.
๐Ÿš€ Build Your Foundation

Speed Math Needs a Strong Core

Vedic and Trachtenberg tricks are powerful, but they work best when you have mastered the basics. Join The Academy to perfect your Addition, Subtraction, and Multiplication skills with fun games and rewards.

Launch The Academy

Free for all students โ€ข No ads โ€ข Safe & Secure