This week we learned new techniques when it came to solving mathmatical problems.
What I had trouble with when it came to solving a problem was that I kept using the traditional way of solving it.
For example,
66-29
when I looked at this problem and started solving it I automatically used the tradional technique and solved it by borrowing from 1 from 66 in order to make the last 6 in sixty-six a 16 which was bigger than the 9 in 29. I was always taught this way so when I saw other methods being used to solve and get the right answer I was pretty amazed!
My favorite method of all was the number line becuase it was easier and it was a really creative and intresting way of solving the problem.
29_(+1)_30_______(+10)_____40_______(+10)_______50________(+10)________60__(+5)___66
I also did the same thing when I first saw the problem 66-29. In my mind, I always had troubles trying to borrow and I found that it would take me much longer to solve the problem than many other people in my classes. The trick of adding one to 29 to make it a much easier number of 30, makes the problem extremely doable in my head and makes it take a lot less longer. I had never thought of using a number line and it really is an extremely easy way to visualize math problems!!
ReplyDeleteI also was pretty amazed with all the possible different ways to solve one simple math problem. When i first did this problem in my head,i did the rounding method, adding it all together and got an answer of 35, but after going through the problem in class, quicky realized where i went wrong. I definitly agree that the use of the number line is a pretty amazing tool to use in not only doing problems but also helping kids to learn math and hopefully understand math a little better. This technique is a new way to solve problems for me and is something i intend to use in the future for math problems!
ReplyDeleteI was using the same traditional method as you. It was very hard for me as well, to change something i've been doing since the 5th grade. I like how you showed how to do the problem with the number line, you figured out another way to show work that kids would actually enjoy and understand! I used the method of rounding the two numbers, but i like your way much more in terms of showing work!
ReplyDeleteI did the same thing as you when we were asked to solve 66-29. That is what I have been doing my whole life and when we were introduced to all these different strategies I was pretty surprised at how many ways we could solve a simple 66-29. I like how you included the number line because I felt like that was an important aspect of what we learned in the first week. It is a neat way to lay out a problem especially when teaching it!
ReplyDeleteI also struggled with breaking the habit of solving these simple subtraction problems with the traditional stacking method. The number line process is much simpler and more organized. I am looking forward to teaching kids these different methods in order to help them avoid the frustrations that I experienced in math throughout my schooling. What I love the most about the number line is that it appeals to my visual learning style. Thank you for blogging about this!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great example of a number line being done! This was my favorite method as well. I also struggled with braking my basic habits of using traditional addition and subtraction but I think once we practice more of using method like this one or the "take away" method it will be easier to to stay away from the traditional way!
ReplyDelete