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Post by rosyred45 on Aug 17, 2004 13:43:33 GMT -5
In HS I failed Algebra II because I would come up with the correct answer, but not the correct formula, I guess that's why I so adamant about learning the basics and formulas, so the kids don't have to take 2 years of the sam eboring class. Altohugh, I catch myself using algebraic equations to get ansers to things ::)Hey, couldn't do it in class, might as well do it now  |
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Post by eaccae on Aug 17, 2004 15:15:47 GMT -5
Definitely it is me who doesn't understand how they do things either - for example the carry the one! They didn't teach that in the beginning. They taught it last year (3rd) - but only as a backup - but luckily DS seems to be catching on with the way his school is doing it and is ignoring the way his mom was telling him to do it. (The NOT carrying the one thing totally had me confused). We are going through a math workbook his school sent home with him for the summer to prepare for the CMTs (the state tests that happen in 4th in CT). Well I have never been able to figure out how they were teaching these kids things - because even the addition and subtraction wasn't the way I learned it. So today he is doing some of the questions. It went something like this: 55 + 36 = ___. DS:"6 + 5 = 11, 11 + 50 = 61, 61 + 30 = 91. Okay, the answer is 91." He did something funny like that for the subtraction too. And although they are not doing the times tables at school - he was able to look at the double digits (well one number was double digit and the other was single) and multiply them in his head, and divide double digits (one double, one single) in his head . . . Whatever they are doing - he seems to be grasping it. Kaiti - my mother-in-law got mad at me because I didn't make him learn the timestables - but like you were saying above with your algebra - they have to show their work - and they do this thing? (don't ask me) - so if he memorizes his times tables - it won't help him out because half of the grade comes from the answer and the other half comes from the correct formula. It took me a long time to understand his homework - it would ask for the answer and then a sentence as to how he got the answer. Well, silly me, I thought a sentence had words in it. I didn't realize they meant a formula or a number sentence!!  I stopped helping DS out with his math homework sometime last year!! I was doing more harm than good! I wish they would send instructions home for the parents sometimes - but then I realize that it might take a completely separate class to explain it all to us!! |
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Post by adhdtimes4 on Aug 17, 2004 15:30:23 GMT -5
I have never in my life heard of adding that way! Whatever works, I guess. We still carry the one.
My husband learned to divide a totally different way, and I can't describe it - nor can he remember it. But the answer came out the same, of course. All his math was done in French. It sounded so difficult. I've often wondered if the way he learned would have made it easier for my boys to be accurate, but I guess we'll never know now.
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Post by eaccae on Aug 17, 2004 15:34:40 GMT -5
Isn't it weird? Actually I *think* it is similar to the way my sister learned it. But it used to take Alexander a really long time to add. And I wasn't helping when we had arguments over the carry the one. The math equations he did today he did in seconds each! So what they are doing seems to be working pretty well! It's crazy!! (I do have to admit I was very impressed that he could add these double and triple digits in his head so quickly!!) And perhaps a little jealous!
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Post by adhdtimes4 on Aug 17, 2004 22:13:21 GMT -5
Have you guys had Algebra yet - with the mandatory TI-83+ calculator that costs $80 (or more)? They are graphing calculators, and they'll do Algebraic equations. I can't even ADD on them, they are so complicated. And you can buy a cord and download stuff from the internet - practice problems and so forth.
We've had to buy two of them. I won't let the boys take them to school. They're only for homework.
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Post by rosyred45 on Aug 18, 2004 8:36:36 GMT -5
MANDATORY   I guess, I'll just be the meanie like Christy in another thread. If it's mandatory, why doesn't the school supply it? Or can you get a discount if you say your from such and such a school? Sorry, not too keen on being told I HAVE to purchase something that expensive   |
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Post by adhdtimes4 on Aug 18, 2004 8:43:59 GMT -5
If they don't have it - how will they do their homework? The school supplies them during class, but then they send home work to do. I'm sure they would let the kids stay after, but what kid wants to do that? In the county next to us they are required in class because the school can't afford them. (It's funny, but they pay a LOT more in taxes.) I'm not happy about it, but I'm going to get whatever the boys need. They've got enough struggles already. |
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Post by rosyred45 on Aug 18, 2004 9:19:50 GMT -5
I can't blame ya, it is a struggle for them all. I just wonder what kind of mandatory courses will be offered by the time Mikey and Tara are in school. Mike graduated in 89, he only had to have 110 credits, 2 yrs of math, 2 yrs of some type of history, 3 years of English and 4 years of Gym and health. He didn't have to have 1 electoral a year, he could just have study hall. I graduated in 92, and had to have 130 credits. 3 yrs of math, 3 years of some type of history or social studies, 4 of English, gym, health. Plus we had to have 2 years of some type of business/computers, not counting 2 yrs of foriegn language to get into college. I'm dreading HS |
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Post by finnmom on Aug 18, 2004 10:05:03 GMT -5
O´kay, so I´am a wierdo ;D I like to calculate in my head, if it´s something really important then I may calculate it by calculator after I´ve done it in my head, just to be sure, but I´am usually right ;D About calculator´s; they dont aprove them at the lower grade´s, then they can be used and they theach the proper way of using them. I too, have been amazed about the poor math-skill´s people have these day´s |
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Post by rosyred45 on Aug 18, 2004 10:35:17 GMT -5
I found this when I was going through the schools web site. It's a link to the every day math the kids are doing here everydaymath.uchicago.edu/ |
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Post by jdmom on Aug 18, 2004 18:14:46 GMT -5
I graduated in '94. We couldn't have a calculator for Algebra 1 or 2. But when we got to Geometry (you could take alg 2 or geometry), you had to have one. I took both alg 2 and geometry, then went on to take Trigonometry. We had to have it for that, too. We could have took Calculus (sp?), but I learned my lesson after Trig. We had to have calculators, and the school didn't supply them. But back then we only had to have 2 maths. So the classes which needed calculators were considered "electives".
I think it's a bad thing for the kids to depend on calculators. I use an adding machine 1/2 the day here at the office, being in payroll. I can add the numbers in my head, but find myself putting the stupidest things in the adding machine just out of habit. I know that 7 1/2 hours and 8 1/2 hours equal 16 hours. But I'll put it in anyway, just out of habit and then realize what I've done. It's like the numbers don't mean anything anymore, they have just become an object. I think that is a bad habit to get started at a young age.
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lllex
Full Member
Posts: 101
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Post by lllex on Aug 19, 2004 13:46:41 GMT -5
Hey Marja that's what I do to. I don't trust the calculator (in case I typed a number in wrong) and I don't trust my head. So I do both and if the result is the same, I'll trust it. ;D
Laura
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Post by finnmom on Aug 19, 2004 14:35:32 GMT -5
Hey Marja that's what I do to. I don't trust the calculator (in case I typed a number in wrong) and I don't trust my head. So I do both and if the result is the same, I'll trust it. ;D Laura Laura ;D What a relief, someone else does that too ;D So I´am not the only...... |
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Post by Allanque on Aug 20, 2004 18:28:41 GMT -5
Have you guys had Algebra yet - with the mandatory TI-83+ calculator that costs $80 (or more)? They are graphing calculators, and they'll do Algebraic equations. I can't even ADD on them, they are so complicated. And you can buy a cord and download stuff from the internet - practice problems and so forth. 2 + 2 Enter They just have an enter button instead of an =. You can also do 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 Enter without having to wonder if you already entered that number of not... Mom found a TI-86 at Best Buy that had been opened, so she got it for $70 or so. If you can afford it, buy them the same kind that they're using in class. The first graphing calculators we had were by Sharp - and everyone else was using the TIs. I had to take the book with me to school so I could figure out how to do it on my calculator. The teachers at our school were using TI-81s (that's what the district got for cheap), most of the students had TI-83s, and I had a TI-86. Don't get a TI-90 (I think...it might be 89). Any calculator with a qwerty keyboard is automatically not allowed on standardized tests (i.e., SAT, ACT, etc.). I LOVE my graphing calculator. I won't use a different kind unless they make us or we absolutely have to. I wish my graphing calculator would do the things a financial would. I like my graphing calculator because when I'm adding up numbers, I can look at the screen and make sure I entered the right numbers. I also learned to use RPN calculators in junior high for the Math & Science UIL calculator competition. If you think you have problems with a graphing calculator, try a RPN 1. If you hit 2 [+] 2, you don't get 4. If you hit 2 [enter] 2 [enter] [+], then you get 4. |
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Post by adhdtimes4 on Aug 21, 2004 1:18:15 GMT -5
Yep - You sound just like my kids. I think what you are both proving is that I'm old fashioned!
Allanque is right, though. It's important to get exactly the same calculator as the school. The TI-83 is now passe, as the TI-84 has been released, but our school is still asking parents to get the TI-83.
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