Calling all parents, I'm stumped

[MadPlumbarian]

Ok just like the subject says I'm stumped! Not only me but the wife too, and to top that off she was a complet book nerd!  What's with this new math? Our ten year old keeps bringing home these pieces of homework that I just don't get! I can do it my way and come up with the same answer, but some of these division problems don't make any sence and they don't give out any samples like I remember, the first have of the first page showed how it's supposed to be done, then the rest was homework. Anyone going though the same thing? JR

[Higgins617]

I'm taking Calculus, so I'm experiencing the same feelings for myself hahahahaha.

[MadPlumbarian]

I'm taking Calculus, so I'm experiencing the same feelings for myself hahahahaha.

Yeah but we're talking only 5th grade math, not college! This is stupid! JR

[Taxi Dad]

I had exactly this problem with my girls, and it was a few years ago too.
I was darn good at 'Maths' (as we call it the proper way) I was even something of a star pupil (back in the day) but the way my two were taught was so alien to me  I even got my youngest in trouble with her teacher by showing her (my daughter) an easier way of doing her homework. even though she got it all right, the workings out weren't how she was supposed to do it !!!
both my girls went on to pass all their exams (in MATHS too) the eldest is now at university training to become a teacher ........... god help the next generation 

[derekmac]

I remember seeing something posted on FB about this new math, and I scratched my head, grabbed a beer, and went downstairs!  It made NO sense to me at all!!!!

[Syph007]

They do have a new way to teach long devision that I had to teach myself last year.  Is that what is is?  I cant remember what they called it now, but you had to write it out different than the way I leanred way back when.

I just googled for it, but I must not be searching right as I cant find an example.

[kkokkolis]

Can we see a specimen?

[Syph007]

This was I was thinking of, double division.  My son in grade 5 or 6 was taught this way.  I had no clue about how to do it so I had to look it up.

http://www.doubledivision.org/

[MadPlumbarian]

Can we see a specimen?

Idk how to explain it, it's wierd say 49 div by 24, you end up with that 1 remainder, and your suppose to take the 1 to the 24 and round to some number that was given? Some made sence but other forget it there was no number even close.. JR

[ironraven]

Pictures so we can see the problems?

If between all of us here we can't do it, tell him to go to school, look his teacher dead in the eye say "are you you nuts?"

[detron]

go here  I saw this somewhere else, but when searching for it I found it here,  just look at the sheet, don't worry about the Glen beck stuff

[MadPlumbarian]

Pictures so we can see the problems?

If between all of us here we can't do it, tell him to go to school, look his teacher dead in the eye say "are you you nuts?"

If he gets another sheet I'll take a pic of it, I don't think he'll get one tomorrow being Friday, although he does get homework for the weekend go fig! JR

[Blitzwing]

I feel for you.. I thought I was super nerd, but that smurf is unreal, it's like rainman did meth and drank a gallon of tequila and knocked that out.. While punching the clown.

[MadPlumbarian]

Yeah really, if I can do it my way, the older son does it his way, and now the younger one has his way and we all come up with the same answer, what's wrong with being old fashioned? I mean it's not using an abacus, but it's twice as easy and twice as fast, Grant it he's only ten, but still? JR

[ironraven]

go here  I saw this somewhere else, but when searching for it I found it here,  just look at the sheet, don't worry about the Glen beck stuff

Ohhhmmm.... I don't know who came up with this, but someone peed in their egg before it hatched. I think I would have to have the "logic" behind the "thought process" in question, because it looks like Jack's mistake was not paying attention in school and now he's trying to fake it.

And he was my boy, he'd be stacking wood this weekend. Even if I had to go out to the shed and unstack it all tonight!

[MadPlumbarian]

Someone posted this on my facebook page and I just had to post it on here! There finding all these other ways for us to do our math and our ways keep getting harder, but this is suposidly how Japan does there math? This looks so simple and makes sence, I guess it's not hard enough to teach in ours! JR

Guess it would help to put the link down, here watch this!
http://m.wimp.com/linesmath/

[Grathr]

Thats brilliant!


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[MadPlumbarian]

Thats brilliant!


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Doesn't it look so easy, makes you just want to go try it.. JR

[Chako]

Never mind, I am teaching that to my 2 math classes on Monday. 

[ironraven]

wonder what this line method does for decimals?

[MadPlumbarian]

Never mind, I am teaching that to my 2 math classes on Monday. 

You teach math classes? JR

[Chako]

Only for this semester. I have 2-10 applied math classes, and an applied 10 science class. Next semester, 2 civics/careers, and a geography. What I teach changes from semester to semester and year to year.

I do like this line method...and I think it is something that should be added to my student's tool box of math skills. Anything to get them away from using calculators all the time is a great thing in my books. 

[MadPlumbarian]

Only for this semester. I have 2-10 applied math classes, and an applied 10 science class. Next semester, 2 civics/careers, and a geography. What I teach changes from semester to semester and year to year.

I do like this line method...and I think it is something that should be added to my student's tool box of math skills. Anything to get them away from using calculators all the time is a great thing in my books. 

I looked into this line gig a little more, some one on YouTube did a three number x two number problem, rather then having the three ovals you end up with four. Both the wife and I thought it was interesting, so she asked me to give her a problem, needless to say I gave her one with a larger second number like 28, rather then these easy both low numbers like 23, well it works she came out with the same answer as I did with the calculator, just a lot of line intersections to count, but it work. Just doesnt help my son with his math problems, but I thought it was interesting and had to post it. JR

[Grathr]

It can get a little messy if one or both of the numbers contains a zero.  I solved it by drawing zeros as a dotted line, wich seemes to work.


And with decimals you just have to keep track of how many decimals you have and put in the comma after.
F.ex: 1,2 x 1,3.  Here you have two decimals wich means you have to divide you answer by 100.
You calculate it like it is 12x13 and divide it by 100 wich gives you 1,56.




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[Chako]

It is still a cool trick...one I haven't seen before. It will help when they have to multiply large numbers now and in the future.

[comis]

This was I was thinking of, double division.  My son in grade 5 or 6 was taught this way.  I had no clue about how to do it so I had to look it up.

http://www.doubledivision.org/

Although I have to think it thru more carefully how to apply it in future, it does make perfect sense to me. 

Someone posted this on my facebook page and I just had to post it on here! There finding all these other ways for us to do our math and our ways keep getting harder, but this is suposidly how Japan does there math? This looks so simple and makes sence, I guess it's not hard enough to teach in ours! JR

Guess it would help to put the link down, here watch this!
http://m.wimp.com/linesmath/

I like this idea, and I think it would be useful if there are two groups of 3 or 4 digits multiplication...gonna give it a try sometime 

[Syph007]

Ive seen that line thing and if its enough to interest a kid in math great, but in practice it seems silly to me.  Try multiplying numbers with larger digits like 99 x 99.   Its the same as doing it the traditional way just with lines instead of numbers, you still carry digits etc, so I dont see much advantage unless its more 'fun'.

Algebra was the only math I learned that still comes in handy alot.  Calculus not so much, but its still nice to know how to calculate odd shaped 3d volumes and rates.

[ironraven]

Algebra was the only math I learned that still comes in handy alot.  Calculus not so much, but its still nice to know how to calculate odd shaped 3d volumes and rates.

Algebra only works for most things becuase someone with calculus simplified the problem. Its just like learning how to find roots by hand- no book, no calculator. 99% of the people who learn it won't need it once they graduate

Why is it important now? Because one day we'll have to fight off our AI oppressors and their robotic minions with pencils and small arms. We'll have to kill them with math.