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Math Carnival Update, and an Algebra Puzzle

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

Oops! I misread my calendar last week. The Math Teachers at Play blog carnival will be this Friday at Maths Insider. That means you still have today and tomorrow to send in your blog post submissions using the handy submission form. See you at the carnival!

In the meantime, let me share with you this monster algebra puzzle from the Well-Trained Mind forum. Simplify:

[ \left ( {x}^{\frac {3}{2x}} \right )^{\frac{x}{9}} \times \left ( x^{\frac{9}{15}} \right )^{\frac{5}{18}}]^3

How would you explain this problem to a beginning algebra student who has just learned the exponent rules? Or to his non-mathy mom?

And Don’t Miss…

These other mathy blog carnivals:

How to Conquer the Times Table, Part 5

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

Photo of Lex times 11, by Dan DeChiaro, via flickr.

We are finishing up an experiment in mental math, using the world’s oldest interactive game — conversation — to explore multiplication patterns while memorizing as little as possible.

Take your time to fix each of these patterns in mind. Ask questions of your student, and let her quiz you, too. Discuss a variety of ways to find each answer. Use the card game Once Through the Deck (explained in part 3)as a quick method to test your memory. When you feel comfortable with each number pattern, when you are able to apply it to most of the numbers you and your child can think of, then mark off that row and column on your times table chart.

So far, we have studied the times-1 and times-10 families and the Commutative Property (that you can multiply numbers in any order). Then we memorized the doubles and mastered the facts built on them. And then last time we worked on the square numbers and their next-door neighbors.

Continue reading How to Conquer the Times Table, Part 5

How to Conquer the Times Table, Part 4

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

Photo of Miss Karen (and computer) times 3, by Karen, via flickr.

If you remember, we are in the middle of an experiment in mental math. We are using the world’s oldest interactive game — conversation — to explore multiplication patterns while memorizing as little as possible. So far, we have studied the times-1 and times-10 families and the Commutative Property (that you can multiply numbers in any order). Then we memorized the doubles and mastered the facts built on them.

Continue reading How to Conquer the Times Table, Part 4

Moebius Noodles Photo Game

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

Hooray! Moebius Noodles tipped the bucket. Thank you to everyone who chipped in!

Now the Fun Begins

The first Moebius Noodles game is a celebration of the Möbius strip. To play:

  1. Post a photo with a Möbius strip anywhere online.
  2. Notify Maria: droujkova@gmail.com. She’ll add your picture to her Moebius Noodles slide show, with a link to your site, blog or Twitter.

And for dinner tonight, try Möbius Marinara!

How to Understand Fraction Division

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

photo by Scott Robinson via flickr

A comment on my post Fraction Division — A Poem deserves a longer answer than I was able to type in the comment reply box. Whitecorp wrote:

Incidentally, this reminds me of a scene from a Japanese anime, where a young girl gets her elder sister to explain why 1/2 divided by 1/4 equals 2. The elder girl replies without skipping a heartbeat: you simply invert the 1/4 to become 4/1 and hence 1/2 times 4 equals 2.

The young one isn’t convinced, and asks how on earth it is possible to divide something by a quarter — she reasons you can cut a pie into 4 pieces, but how do you cut a pie into one quarter pieces? The elder one was at a loss, and simply told her to “accept it” and move on.

How would you explain the above in a manner which makes sense?

Continue reading How to Understand Fraction Division

Support Moebius Noodles, Update

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

Would you love to introduce your preschoolers to the mind-stretching wonder of math? Check out Moebius Noodles, an open community of mathematical resources for parents and educators of young children.

Moebius Noodles activities and games use stuff you already have around the house to explore symmetry, fractals, functions, transformations, topology, and more, in a way that is accessible to babies and toddlers (and their parents!) and easily adapted to include older siblings.

Even a small donation will help this amazing project get off the ground — and Maria is offering a variety of “secret rewards” (like free books, or a secret-message game designed especially for your child) to those who chip in now.

Math Teachers at Play #42 via Math Is Not A Four-Letter Word

Posted on by Denise Gaskins
by Patrick Hoesly via flickr

Bon Crowder has woven a nice variety of math links into a creative story for the September Math Teachers at Play carnival. Enjoy!

To mix things up a little, this month’s Math Teachers at Play Blog Carnival is a love story – between two people and then their new cute daughter. It’s a story of the coolest carnival of all – having kids.

The Story of Bernice and John, Mathematician Parents . . .

Go read the whole thing!

Have Little Ones? Try Moebius Noodles!

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

Moebius Noodles Fundraiser Badge

Would you like to do math with your babies and toddlers — real math, not just counting and simple shapes — but don’t know how? For the last few years, Maria Droujkova has been teaching parents to do advanced, fun math with young children. I had the chance to lurk on a discussion group this summer and thoroughly enjoyed it. Now she is taking the next step — and you are invited to join in the fun!

The Moebius Noodles project includes:

  • Cool math concepts.
    Symmetry, fractals, coordinate planes, functions, transformations, topology, and more.
  • Math that grows with your child.
    Games and activities are adaptable to a wide range of ages, from babies to teens.
  • Math your child owns.
    Plenty of variations and suggestions to help kids bring math into their own worlds.
  • Active and open support group.
    A community of parents who share stories and photos, discuss examples, modify games, and ask and answer questions.
  • Math therapy for parents.
    For those who feared and disliked math in school, this project offers a second chance as you experience the math-rich world around you through playing with your child.

Maria is offering a variety of “Secret Rewards” (including free copies of the Moebius Noodles book) to those who chip in toward the project. Check out her Moebius Noodles blog post for more information.