Thu - September 2, 2004
Math Poetry
"Math Talk - Poems for Two Voices" by Theoni
Pappas
Poems about numbers and math concepts.
Poems about numbers and math concepts.
Posted at 03:22 PM Read More
Math Anxiety Self Test
Rate your answers from 1 to 5; add them
up and check your score
below.
(1) = Disagree, (5) = Agree.
(1) = Disagree, (5) = Agree.
1. It makes me cringe to think I might
have to go to a math class. 1 2 3 4
5
2. I am uneasy about doing math in
front of other people. 1 2 3 4
5
3. I am afraid I won't be able to
answer my child's math questions. 1 2
3 4 5
4. I try to avoid situations where I
might have to do math. 1 2 3 4
5
5. I understand the math now, but I
worry that I won't when my child gets
older.1 2 3 4
5
6. I tend to zone out when the subject
of math comes up. 1 2 3 4
5
7. I fear math tests more than any
other kind. 1 2 3 4
5
8. I don't like to have to think about
math. 1 2 3 4
5
9. Sometimes I think I understand it,
but later I don't. . 1 2 3 4
5
10. I'm afraid I won't be able to
homeschool my older child because I'm not good in math.
1 2 3 4
5
CHECK YOUR SCORE:
40-50 Sure thing, you have math anxiety. You don't have to live with it forever, though.
30-39 No doubt! You're still fearful about math. You CAN get over it.
20-29 On the fence!.
10-19 Wow!
Math anxiety is a negative emotional reaction to mathematics which causes resistance, avoidance, stress, and even panic. It is possible to avoid passing math anxiety on to your kids and even to get over it yourself.
Posted at 03:17 PM Read More
Thu - August 12, 2004
Pointing Fingers Game
This is a really fun and addicting game. You can
play anywhere and with all ages. Try this one, for
sure!
The fingers game is quite simple, and can be played anywhere with another person.
1. The two players start by holding up two fingers each, one on each hand.
2. On a player's turn, that player can point with one hand to any of the three hands around him (his own or the other players'). The hand that gets pointed to adds the number of fingers on the hand that did the pointing to his own, and sticks that many fingers up. For instance, if my right hand has two fingers up and I point it to your left hand, which has one finger up, you would now show three fingers on your left hand.
3. If five fingers or more should be up, make a fist. A fist cannot be used to point with.
4. If you have one fist and your other hand has an even number of fingers, you can point with the second hand to the fist on your turn, and divide the fingers evenly between the hands. This is the only time a fist may be pointed to.
Players alternate turns, and the first player to show two fists loses.
Another version doesn't allow you to point to your own hand, only to the other person's hands, except when splitting fingers with a closed fist.
Some people play a different version of Rule 4 - you don't have to have an even number to split with a fist - if you had a fist and 3 fingers on the other hand, you could use a turn by splitting the 3 as 2 and 1.
Also - in a fast-moving game of Pointing Fingers, a "split" is done by kind of knocking the two hands together and coming away with the fingers split between the two hands, rather than just pointing.
The fingers game is quite simple, and can be played anywhere with another person.
1. The two players start by holding up two fingers each, one on each hand.
2. On a player's turn, that player can point with one hand to any of the three hands around him (his own or the other players'). The hand that gets pointed to adds the number of fingers on the hand that did the pointing to his own, and sticks that many fingers up. For instance, if my right hand has two fingers up and I point it to your left hand, which has one finger up, you would now show three fingers on your left hand.
3. If five fingers or more should be up, make a fist. A fist cannot be used to point with.
4. If you have one fist and your other hand has an even number of fingers, you can point with the second hand to the fist on your turn, and divide the fingers evenly between the hands. This is the only time a fist may be pointed to.
Players alternate turns, and the first player to show two fists loses.
Another version doesn't allow you to point to your own hand, only to the other person's hands, except when splitting fingers with a closed fist.
Some people play a different version of Rule 4 - you don't have to have an even number to split with a fist - if you had a fist and 3 fingers on the other hand, you could use a turn by splitting the 3 as 2 and 1.
Also - in a fast-moving game of Pointing Fingers, a "split" is done by kind of knocking the two hands together and coming away with the fingers split between the two hands, rather than just pointing.
Posted at 07:30 PM Read More
Finger Game
Three or more players - more is
better.
One player is the "caller." You can have the caller job rotate around the circle.
Each player holds up his hands, fingers closed.
Caller calls out a number from 2 to 10.
Players must immediately open their fingers to show the number called, and there has to be at least one finger from each hand. In other words, both hands must be in use to make up the number called. So if the caller says "5," then the players might hold up 3 fingers on one hand and 2 on the other or 1 and 4.
No "second chances" - whichever fingers are opened first are what counts.
If somebody opens the wrong number of fingers, they're out.
One player is the "caller." You can have the caller job rotate around the circle.
Each player holds up his hands, fingers closed.
Caller calls out a number from 2 to 10.
Players must immediately open their fingers to show the number called, and there has to be at least one finger from each hand. In other words, both hands must be in use to make up the number called. So if the caller says "5," then the players might hold up 3 fingers on one hand and 2 on the other or 1 and 4.
No "second chances" - whichever fingers are opened first are what counts.
If somebody opens the wrong number of fingers, they're out.
Posted at 07:21 PM Read More
What More?
This is a very simple finger game - and you'll be
surprised that kids enjoy it, but they often do. You'll have to catch them at
the right time when this is a little bit of a challenge, but
fun.
It is VERY simple - but you can come up with variations.
You hold up some number of fingers and your child tells you how many MORE fingers it takes to make all 10 fingers.
That's it. You hold up your hands with 3 fingers up, your child says, "7."
Maybe try putting up "zero" fingers - laugh together about that one. Put up all 10 fingers - see if he/she says, "Zero." That is a surprisingly important concept - that zero can mean "no more."
Encourage him/her to make up other games like this. For example, he can put up all 10 fingers, you say a number, and he can leave up how many are left when he puts down that number.
An expansion of this is to use pennies - or some other handy objects. Put 10 pennies in one hand and show him. Then put some number of them, say 3, into your other hand and put it behind your back. Show him the hand with 7 left. He should say "3" are behind your back.
To make it more challenging, add more pennies.
Also - you can have him do it and you guess.
It is VERY simple - but you can come up with variations.
You hold up some number of fingers and your child tells you how many MORE fingers it takes to make all 10 fingers.
That's it. You hold up your hands with 3 fingers up, your child says, "7."
Maybe try putting up "zero" fingers - laugh together about that one. Put up all 10 fingers - see if he/she says, "Zero." That is a surprisingly important concept - that zero can mean "no more."
Encourage him/her to make up other games like this. For example, he can put up all 10 fingers, you say a number, and he can leave up how many are left when he puts down that number.
An expansion of this is to use pennies - or some other handy objects. Put 10 pennies in one hand and show him. Then put some number of them, say 3, into your other hand and put it behind your back. Show him the hand with 7 left. He should say "3" are behind your back.
To make it more challenging, add more pennies.
Also - you can have him do it and you guess.
Posted at 03:59 PM Read More
Mon - June 14, 2004
King's X From the Math Monster by Sandra Dodd
Article about unschoolers and "doing the
times
tables."
<http://sandradodd.com/timestables>
<http://sandradodd.com/timestables>
Posted at 08:39 AM Read More
Sun - June 13, 2004
Multiplying by Eleven
Just some ideas of ways to play around with
multiplying by 11. Memorizing the "tricks" is not the important thing - it is
the underlying understanding of why the tricks work that will
last.
It's easy to figure out 11 times any number up to 9 -- 11X2=22, 11X3=33, 11X4=44, up to 11X9=99.
For 11 times 10 or higher, here's a handy trick:
For 11 times a two-digit number take the first digit, place it to the left and then place the second digit on the right. Insert the sum of those two digits in the center. It works from 11x10 = 110 and up as long as the sum of the two digits is less than 10:
Examples:
11 x 11 = 1 2 1 (1 + 1 = 2)
11 x 12 = 1 3 2 (1 + 2 = 3)
11 x 13 = 1 4 3 (1 + 3 = 4)
11 x 14 = 1 5 4 (1 + 4 = 5)
and so on.
If the sum of the 2 digits is 10 or up, there is an extra step. You still put the left digit on the left and the right digit on the right and then find the sum. If it is 10 or more then just put the right number (of the sum) in the center. Increase the left digit by one.
Examples:
11 X 19 --- put the 1 on the left, the 9 on the right. The sum of 1 and 9 is 10, so put the 0 in the middle and then increase the left digit by 1 to get 209.
11 X 29 -- put the 2 on the left, the 9 on the right. The sum of 2 and 9 is 11, so put a 1 in the center and increase the left digit by 1 to get 319.
11 X 48 -- put the 4 on the left, the 8 on the right. The sum of 4 plus 8 is 12, so put the 2 in the center and increase the 4 to a 5 to get 528.
Some people might find it is fun to figure out why these little "tricks" work.
11 times anything is really 1 times it plus 10 times it (11 is 1 plus 10).
1 times something is easy - it is that thing.
10 times something is easy - it is that thing with a zero on the right.
So = 11 times 4 is 1x4 plus 10x4 or 4+40=44.
11 X 9 is 1x9 plus 10x9 or 9 + 90 = 99.
Two-digit numbers work the same way:
11 x 41 is 1x41 plus 10x41 or 41 + 410 = 451.
11 x 39 is 1x39 plus 10x39 or 39 + 390. Notice how when you line these up like this:
It's easy to figure out 11 times any number up to 9 -- 11X2=22, 11X3=33, 11X4=44, up to 11X9=99.
For 11 times 10 or higher, here's a handy trick:
For 11 times a two-digit number take the first digit, place it to the left and then place the second digit on the right. Insert the sum of those two digits in the center. It works from 11x10 = 110 and up as long as the sum of the two digits is less than 10:
Examples:
11 x 11 = 1 2 1 (1 + 1 = 2)
11 x 12 = 1 3 2 (1 + 2 = 3)
11 x 13 = 1 4 3 (1 + 3 = 4)
11 x 14 = 1 5 4 (1 + 4 = 5)
and so on.
If the sum of the 2 digits is 10 or up, there is an extra step. You still put the left digit on the left and the right digit on the right and then find the sum. If it is 10 or more then just put the right number (of the sum) in the center. Increase the left digit by one.
Examples:
11 X 19 --- put the 1 on the left, the 9 on the right. The sum of 1 and 9 is 10, so put the 0 in the middle and then increase the left digit by 1 to get 209.
11 X 29 -- put the 2 on the left, the 9 on the right. The sum of 2 and 9 is 11, so put a 1 in the center and increase the left digit by 1 to get 319.
11 X 48 -- put the 4 on the left, the 8 on the right. The sum of 4 plus 8 is 12, so put the 2 in the center and increase the 4 to a 5 to get 528.
Some people might find it is fun to figure out why these little "tricks" work.
11 times anything is really 1 times it plus 10 times it (11 is 1 plus 10).
1 times something is easy - it is that thing.
10 times something is easy - it is that thing with a zero on the right.
So = 11 times 4 is 1x4 plus 10x4 or 4+40=44.
11 X 9 is 1x9 plus 10x9 or 9 + 90 = 99.
Two-digit numbers work the same way:
11 x 41 is 1x41 plus 10x41 or 41 + 410 = 451.
11 x 39 is 1x39 plus 10x39 or 39 + 390. Notice how when you line these up like this:
39
+ 390
429
then when you add you're really just
putting the 9 on the right, adding the 3 and the 9 and getting 12 and then
putting the 2 in the middle and adding the 1 to 3 to get 4 on the left. This is
the "trick."
Posted at 10:17 PM Read More
7 X 8
For some reason, this is the multiplication
fact that almost everybody has trouble remembering. So - here is a little quick
way to remember it. Just count: 5, 6, 7, 8. Why does that remind you of how to
multiply 7 X 8?
Because 56 is 7X8 -- 5, 6, 7, 8.
Because 56 is 7X8 -- 5, 6, 7, 8.
Posted at 06:26 PM Read More
Fri - April 2, 2004
Virtual Manipulatives
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives for
Interactive
Mathematics
<http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/index.html>
<http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/index.html>
This is a collection of interactive,
web-based virtual manipulatives. Virtual charts, graphs, spinners, games,
specialized geoboards, pattern makers, balance scales, abacus, puzzles, Venn
diagrams, tangrams, pattern blocks, tessellations, fractals, coin tosses, and
much more. Wonderful collection!!
Posted at 11:02 AM Read More
Wed - January 21, 2004
Finger Multiplication
Hold your hands up in front of you, palms forward
.
Your thumbs are each a "6",
Your pointer fingers are each a "7"
Middle fingers are each an "8"
Ring fingers are each a "9"
Pinky fingers are each a "10"
Okay - now hands are in front of you, palms forward, fingers upward.
Let's multiply 7X8:
Put the pointer finger of left hand (7) touching the middle finger of right hand (8).
Now count the two fingers that are touching plus one finger below that on the left and two fingers below that on the right.
Countiing the two touching fingers and the ones below them you have five "lower" fingers.
On the top, above the touching fingers, you have 3 on the left and 2 on the right.
So - to multiply 7X8 you have your 7 finger and your 8 finger touching and then you add up all the lower fingers (counting the touching ones) and that is 5. (That is how many "tens" the answer will have.)
Then you multiply the top ones and that is 2X3 is 6.
To multiply 7X7 you touch your 7 fingers together and you get:
4 under and 3x3 on top - 49
yep
cool
I fooled with trying to write equations for how it works - never manged to do it.
if you put the two thumbs together - that is 6X6....
but you only have two lower fingers - so that's only 20.
only a "2" I mean.
but when you mulitply the top fingers it is 4X4 which is 16.
gmta
so you add the 16 to the 20 that you get from the 2 thumbs.
that makes 36
so - the lower fingers are really "tens"
and the upper fingers are "ones"
Your thumbs are each a "6",
Your pointer fingers are each a "7"
Middle fingers are each an "8"
Ring fingers are each a "9"
Pinky fingers are each a "10"
Okay - now hands are in front of you, palms forward, fingers upward.
Let's multiply 7X8:
Put the pointer finger of left hand (7) touching the middle finger of right hand (8).
Now count the two fingers that are touching plus one finger below that on the left and two fingers below that on the right.
Countiing the two touching fingers and the ones below them you have five "lower" fingers.
On the top, above the touching fingers, you have 3 on the left and 2 on the right.
So - to multiply 7X8 you have your 7 finger and your 8 finger touching and then you add up all the lower fingers (counting the touching ones) and that is 5. (That is how many "tens" the answer will have.)
Then you multiply the top ones and that is 2X3 is 6.
To multiply 7X7 you touch your 7 fingers together and you get:
4 under and 3x3 on top - 49
yep
cool
I fooled with trying to write equations for how it works - never manged to do it.
if you put the two thumbs together - that is 6X6....
but you only have two lower fingers - so that's only 20.
only a "2" I mean.
but when you mulitply the top fingers it is 4X4 which is 16.
gmta
so you add the 16 to the 20 that you get from the 2 thumbs.
that makes 36
so - the lower fingers are really "tens"
and the upper fingers are "ones"
Posted at 12:31 AM Read More
Tue - January 13, 2004
BUZZ
A game that is based on multiples - once you
understand how to play it, you can make up your own
versions.
Doing "twos" with three people - persons A, B, and C, on all multiples
of two, say "Buzz" instead of the number. (No fun with two people, of
course <G>).
A: 1
B: Buzz
C: 3
A: Buzz
B: 5
C: Buzz
A: 7
B: Buzz
C: 9
A: Buzz
B: 11
C: Buzz
With only two people you can do multiples of three:
A: 1
B: 2
A: Buzz
B: 4
A: 5
B: Buzz
A: 7
B: 8
A: Buzz
B: 10
A: 11
B: Buzz
A: 13
B: 14
Try combining "Bizz" and "Buzz" -- Do "bizz" on multiples of three and
"buzz" on multiples of two. Say "Bizz Buzz" when it is both a multiple
of two and three.
Do it with other multiples - remember fives are pretty easy - so do
twos, then fives, then threes and then combinations.
A good car game.
Doing "twos" with three people - persons A, B, and C, on all multiples
of two, say "Buzz" instead of the number. (No fun with two people, of
course <G>).
A: 1
B: Buzz
C: 3
A: Buzz
B: 5
C: Buzz
A: 7
B: Buzz
C: 9
A: Buzz
B: 11
C: Buzz
With only two people you can do multiples of three:
A: 1
B: 2
A: Buzz
B: 4
A: 5
B: Buzz
A: 7
B: 8
A: Buzz
B: 10
A: 11
B: Buzz
A: 13
B: 14
Try combining "Bizz" and "Buzz" -- Do "bizz" on multiples of three and
"buzz" on multiples of two. Say "Bizz Buzz" when it is both a multiple
of two and three.
Do it with other multiples - remember fives are pretty easy - so do
twos, then fives, then threes and then combinations.
A good car game.
Posted at 11:23 PM Read More
Thu - November 20, 2003
Dot Game - Draw the Last Line
Take turns drawing a line, any length.
Only go one direction in a turn. It can be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal.
No intersecting lines.
No closing a shape.
Your line must connect to either end of what's already there.
The winner draws the last possible line.
In this example, there is just one move left, so if was your turn, you'd be the winner.
Posted at 05:19 PM Read More
Dot Games - Linking Pairs
Make a grid of dots (any size grid - smaller grids are more fun since you get to the real thinking part of the game sooner). Link any two adjacent dots - a dot may link to only one other dot. Winner makes the LAST link.
Variation - winner forces the other person to make the last link.
In this example, you could choose either of two possible pairs to link and then you'd be the winner.
Posted at 01:37 PM Read More
Quick Multiplication Trick
Use a grid to multiply quickly and develop a good understanding of the properties of multiplication.
Example: To multiply 4 X 3, draw a grid with 4 lines in one direction and 3 lines in the other direction and put dots at all the intersection points. Count the dots for the answer.
This method helps kids understand visually that multiplying is just addition and also shows visually that 4 X 3 is the same as 3 X 4 - the commutative law of multiplication.
Posted at 01:11 PM Read More
Basic Arithmetic
Basic arithmetic was developed by ordinary people to
use in performing ordinary life tasks.
Posted at 12:14 PM Read More
Laurie Buxton
Add-to-15 Tic-Tac-Toe
COUNTDOWN
Fractions
Subtraction is Not Just "Take-Away"
Responding to Questions
Sequences
Math By Any Other Name....
Cross-Out Game
Bug
Dollar in Trade Game
NIM Game 3-4-5
Manhole Covers and Other Lids
Where to Find Math
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Published On: Oct 10, 2004 01:29 PM
Published On: Oct 10, 2004 01:29 PM