He doesn’t learn algebra
in the algebra course;
he learns it in calculus.
I have been catching up on my Bloglines reading [procrastinating blogger at work — I should be going over the MathCounts lesson for Friday’s homeschool co-op class], and found the following quotation at Mathematics under the Microscope [old blog posts are no longer archived].
Things are still hectic, but at least the phone company guy found the problem and got our “extended DSL” service working. “Extended DSL” is what you get when you live out in the boonies. No guarantees that it will be faster than the ancient modem, but at least it doesn’t tie up the phone line anymore.
And it is a bit faster, so I finally get to enjoy You Tube. If the video doesn’t display properly, you can find it at this link:
My pre-algebra class hit the topic of equations just as the NFL season moved into the playoffs. The result was this series of class notes called “The Game of Algebra.”
We used the Singapore Math NEM 1 textbook, which is full of example problems and quality exercises. These notes simply introduce or review the main concepts and vocabulary in a less-textbooky way.
I hope you find them useful.
Apparently unreachable goal: To tame the tyranny of the urgent and find time to write blog posts.
Even the child in question agrees with that. Chickenfoot is suffering from Peter Pan syndrome: “I don’t want to grow up!” This week, someone asked him, “You’re 17, aren’t you?” Not yet, but 13 has passed into memory…
I got tricky with the hidden present this time. The outside of the envelope changed insignificantly. It read:
I’m your last present.
Can you find me?
I’m hiding some place
That you cannot see…
But the real departure from normal came with the poetry inside. The poem was a success, in that he laughed at all the appropriate spots, but the hiding place turned out to be a little too good. Can you find the two clues in all this mess?
It might really help with the 2008 Game. My morning coffee is not doing the job.
I confess: I am a FlyLady drop-out. Housecleaning has never been my strong point. But I read 50 Tips to Unclutter Your Blog, and I thought Skellie had some good points. I hate crowded sidebars, and moving my blogroll to a separate page sounded like a great way to declutter. If you want to browse some great blogs, the link is at the top of this page.
Now, I suppose, I should put my math notebook away and start clearing off the mess on my desk…
Are you ready for a challenge? Join us for the 2008 Mathematics Game. Here are the rules:
Use the digits in the year 2008 and the operations +, -, x, ÷, sqrt (square root), ^ (raise to a power), and ! (factorial) — along with parentheses, brackets, or other grouping symbols — to write expressions for the counting numbers 1 through 100.
- All four digits must be used in each expression.
- Only the digits 2, 0, 0, 8 may be used.
- Multi-digit numbers such as 20, 208, or .02 MAY be used this year.
- The square function may NOT be used.
- The integer function may NOT be used.
By definition:
[See Dr. Math’s Why does 0 factorial equal 1?]
For this game we will accept the value:
[See the Dr. Math FAQ 0 to the 0 power.]
As we all head back to school, here are some interesting calendar puzzles:
Our youngest child turns 9 today. Time shoots by at rocket speed, doesn’t it? Every year, the older kids complain that their baby sister isn’t allowed to grow up — they still feel like being nine years old themselves!
I have mentioned before our family tradition of the “hidden present.” [See this post and that.] Every year, one birthday present is hidden somewhere in the house, with the clue placed in an envelope to be opened after all the other gifts are unwrapped.
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?
Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?
For from him
and through him
and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever!
Amen.
Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math 