Background Comments One of the more common lessons in measurement in middle school math classes is that of measuring the number of degrees in an angle. This, of course, implies the use of a fairly technical instrument, for students of this age anyway: the protractor. All those strange numbers going in two different directions is certainly more complicated than [...]
Mathematical games are always a popular adjunct in any teacher’s repertoire of motivational activities. This game promotes learning and fun at the same time by combining two unlikely allies: a deck of ordinary playing cards and a calculator. The material presented here utilizes a simple, four-function calculator with a square root key. With minor adjustments, [...]
Recently I had the opportunity to play around with a novel middle school level calculator that “does fractions”. [For those who are curious, it is the Sharp EL-E300 model.] In fact, not only does it “do” them in the normal vertical format, but also it shows more than one fraction at a time in the display window. “Neat-o torpedo”, [...]
Perhaps some of the readers of this page will not appreciate the unique reference being made in the title of this activity to a famous TV game show, called “The Price Is Right“. If you are one of those, here is a brief description of that program, so that the math activity presented below will make sense. On the [...]
INTRODUCTION A. When a number is multiplied by itself, the resulting product is called a SQUARE NUMBER, or simply a SQUARE. 12 × 12 = 144 so 144 is a square number. 35 × 35 = 1225 so 1225 is a square number. 133 × 133 = 17,689 so 17689 is a square number. B. [...]
After students have become skilled in determining the LCM of two or more numbers via the calculator, they should be given the opportunity to use this ability for higher level thinking on more advanced situations. Therefore, this article will describe an activity that can be used to achieve this aim. Again teamwork and cooperation should [...]
LCM’s via the Calculator or The “M.O.M.” Game One of the basic topics of elementary number theory is that of finding the Least Common Multiple of two or more numbers. Testifying to its basic simplicity is the fact that is presented as early as the 4th grade. But too often it is a concept that [...]