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Urdhva-Tiryagbhyam

Vedic maths multiplication tricks — crosswise, in one line

Vedic maths multiplication tricks replace long multiplication with a crosswise pattern that produces the answer one digit at a time, right to left. For two-digit numbers, multiply the units, then cross-multiply and add, then multiply the tens — carrying as you go. The whole product is written in a single line with no intermediate rows.

Crosswise multiplication, or Urdhva-Tiryagbhyam, is the general Vedic method: unlike the base and complement tricks it works on any pair of numbers, which makes it the one worth learning first. In an exam it removes the two or three intermediate rows of long multiplication, and with them the transcription errors those rows invite.

Try it against the clock. Crosswise Multiplication runs at 20s easy, 30s medium and 45s hard. The clock is stamped and judged on our server, so the limit you see is the deadline that is actually enforced — and it starts when you tap Start, not while the question is loading.

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How the crosswise vedic maths multiplication tricks work

  1. Multiply the units digits for the last digit

    For 43 × 21, multiply 3 × 1 = 3. That is the units digit of the answer. If the product exceeds nine, write the units digit and carry the rest into the next step exactly as in ordinary addition.

  2. Cross-multiply and add for the middle digit

    Multiply the tens of the first by the units of the second, and the units of the first by the tens of the second, then add: (4 × 1) + (3 × 2) = 10. Write 0 and carry 1. This crosswise step is the whole technique.

  3. Multiply the tens digits, add the carry, for the front

    4 × 2 = 8, plus the carried 1 gives 9. Reading the digits produces 903. The answer emerged right to left in one line, with no intermediate products written down.

  4. Use the ×11 shortcut whenever it applies

    To multiply a two-digit number by 11, write the first digit, then the sum of both digits, then the last digit: 63 × 11 gives 6, 9, 3 — that is 693. If the middle sum exceeds nine, carry into the first digit. It is the crosswise method with the middle step made trivial.

Which multiplication shortcut to reach for

When the numbers look like thisUse
Any two-digit pairCrosswise (Urdhva-Tiryagbhyam)
One number is 11Write outer digits, sum in the middle
Both just below 100Nikhilam — subtract the cross deficit
Same tens digit, units adding to 10Antyayordashake — one step
Equally spaced about a round numberDifference of squares
Number ends in 5, squaredEkadhikena — n(n+1) then 25

3 real vedic maths multiplication tricks, with worked solutions

Generated by the same engine that mints the ComputePrep daily. Each answer is computed from the numbers printed in the question, and the walkthrough below each one is the engine's own working — not a solution written afterwards. Reload this page's live drill and you get different numbers.

Question 1

77 × 28 = ?

Crosswise multiplication — beat the clock.

  1. 1406
  2. 2144
  3. 1596
  4. 2156
  5. 2016
Show the worked solution
  1. Units: 7 × 8 = 56.
  2. Cross: 7×8 + 7×2 = 70; tens: 7 × 2 = 14 — stack with carries.
  3. 1400 + 700 + 56 = 2156.
  4. Answer: 2156.

Question 2

29 × 42 = ?

Crosswise multiplication — beat the clock.

  1. 858
  2. 1218
  3. 1219
  4. 1178
  5. 808
Show the worked solution
  1. Units: 9 × 2 = 18.
  2. Cross: 2×2 + 9×4 = 40; tens: 2 × 4 = 8 — stack with carries.
  3. 800 + 400 + 18 = 1218.
  4. Answer: 1218.

Question 3

69 × 54 = ?

Crosswise multiplication — beat the clock.

  1. 3276
  2. 3711
  3. 3486
  4. 3096
  5. 3726
Show the worked solution
  1. Units: 9 × 4 = 36.
  2. Cross: 6×4 + 9×5 = 69; tens: 6 × 5 = 30 — stack with carries.
  3. 3000 + 690 + 36 = 3726.
  4. Answer: 3726.

Common mistakes this drill is built from

The wrong options are not random numbers. Each one is the result of a specific careless error for this topic, so picking one tells you which habit is costing you marks.

Dropping the carry at the crosswise step

The middle step routinely produces a two-digit total, and its tens digit must carry into the leftmost step. Losing it is the most frequent error when learning the method, and it shifts the answer by exactly one hundred.

Reaching for a special trick where it does not apply

Nikhilam and the complement methods only work on specific number shapes. Checking whether one applies costs time; the crosswise method always works. Learn crosswise as the default and treat the others as opportunistic.

Practising untimed

A shortcut only pays if it is faster than the method it replaces, and early on it will not be. It needs timed repetition to overtake long multiplication — which is why every drill on this page runs on a clock.

FAQ

What is the crosswise vedic multiplication method?

Urdhva-Tiryagbhyam, meaning vertically and crosswise. You multiply the units digits, then cross-multiply and add the two middle products, then multiply the tens digits, carrying at each step. The answer forms one digit at a time from the right, with no intermediate rows to write down or misread.

Do vedic maths tricks actually save time in a bank exam?

The general crosswise method does, because it removes the intermediate rows of long multiplication where most transcription errors happen. The narrower tricks save more time but apply less often. The honest answer is that crosswise is worth learning for everyone and the base-specific sutras are worth learning once crosswise is automatic.

How do I multiply any two-digit number by 11 instantly?

Write the first digit, then the sum of the two digits, then the last digit. For 63 × 11: 6, then 6 + 3 = 9, then 3, giving 693. When the middle sum exceeds nine, carry one into the leading digit — 87 × 11 gives 8, 15, 7 which becomes 957.

Which vedic sutra should I learn first?

Crosswise multiplication, because it works on every pair of numbers rather than a special shape. Once it is automatic, add Ekadhikena for squaring numbers ending in five and Nikhilam for numbers near a base — both are faster but only apply sometimes.

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