Here are some examples of different ways to solve problems. We use concrete materials to explain our thinking so that we can help other people make sense of what is happening inside our brains. The goal is to be able to work out a solution mentally (in our brains).
It is important to understand that some strategies are useful in some situations and not so useful in others. Critically evaluating the strategies we use and the ways in which we explain them will help us achieve the goals of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics and the NSW Syllabus.
It is important to understand that some strategies are useful in some situations and not so useful in others. Critically evaluating the strategies we use and the ways in which we explain them will help us achieve the goals of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics and the NSW Syllabus.
What would you do to work out 48 and 29? Here are four different people demonstrating their thinking. It makes us wonder...
* Which strategy/ies do you think are the most efficient?
* How would you describe what each person is doing?
* Do these strategies always work?
* What knowledge about numbers and maths is each person having to use to think their way through the problem?
* What advice would you give each person?
* Which strategy/ies do you think are the most efficient?
* How would you describe what each person is doing?
* Do these strategies always work?
* What knowledge about numbers and maths is each person having to use to think their way through the problem?
* What advice would you give each person?
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What's the difference between 23 and 15?
How would you solve 24 - ? = 17
What is the sum of 16 and 6 more?
Here is one way to solve that problem:
In this example, partitioning, using known facts and making landmark numbers are all used to determine the sum.
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Here is another way:
In this example, counting-on by 1s is used to determine the sum. Often, people will use their fingers, things they can see or body movements (like gentle head nodding) to keep count.
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