Essay about Algebra Tiles and the FOIL Method

The essay begins with the creation of Algebra in 1545 by doctor Giordano Cardan. It was created to be this way of simplifying problems and Cardan believed it to be an art form that would never go out of style or lose usefulness over time. For the most part he was correct as nearly 500 years later it is still in use, yet for many people it does not simplify anything at all. Cardan was a man of numbers, he gambled and clearly had a great understanding of mathematics, so algebra made sense in his mind but this is not the case for everyone. Math is puzzle that people need to work through to understand, explains Baker, and many people enjoy this aspect of it much like Cardan. Baker himself was a dedicated student who put in week to learn material for a math exam and got a score of 93 for his efforts. Other students, however do not feel as though they can accomplish this. Not all students see the world in numbers and the material they are forced to study is confusing and only gets harder as the course goes on. Fr many student’s algebra

Algebra is a critical aspect of mathematics which provides the means to calculate unknown values. According to Bednarz, Kieran and Lee (as cited in Chick & Harris, 2007), there are three basic concepts of simple algebra: the generalisation of patterns, the understanding of numerical laws and functional situations. The understanding of these concepts by children will have an enormous bearing on their future mathematical capacity. However, conveying these algebraic concepts to children can be difficult due to the abstract symbolic nature of the math that will initially be foreign to the children. Furthermore, each child’s ability to recall learned numerical laws is vital to their proficiency in problem solving and mathematical confidence. It is obvious that teaching algebra is not a simple task. Therefore, the importance of quality early exposure to fundamental algebraic concepts is of significant importance to allow all

Mathematical understanding influences all areas of life from social to private and civil. Therefore maths education is widely believed to be the single most important aspect to establishing opportunities for young people; unfortunately, many struggle with mathematics and become indifferent as they continue to encounter obstacles with regard to engagement (Anthony & Walshaw, 2009). Knowing a

Mathematics is not for one type of person: not only for the nerdy and weird outcasts, not only for the white male, not only for those who are not targeted by the stereotypes prevalent in the field. Mathematics is not dry, nor boring, nor focused on inane solutions never to be used after the discovery. Mathematics is not what people think it is; it is not one field, one theme, one subject. Mathematics is everything. Look around, with clear eyes, and you will see the art of mathematics everywhere. Dr. Diana Gu, the founder of MTY Academy, an extremely successful institute in the Austin community, and long-time, inspirational professor at the Texas State University, looks at the world and sees numbers. She sees passion and dedication and motivation. She sees intensity and zeal and excitement. Explaining that mathematics is essential for everyone, she emphasizes an idea: innate skill matters little, while practice is what defines you.

The author explains how many students, especially those in the focused-upon second grade class, have difficulty explaining their “mathematical thinking process”. While they may provide correct answers using memorized calculations, they are unable to demonstrate their conceptual understandings or explain how they achieved the right results. As stated by the researcher, “it is important for students to be able to demonstrate their mathematical thinking as well as their method of solving a problem” (Kostos & Shin, 2010, p.223).

“Making mathematics mandatory prevents us from discovering and developing young talent.” This help shows that if we do force algebra on students who aren’t getting it currently. Then its just keeping us back from discovering from who they are and what their national talents truly is. If we were to maybe teach these people a unique way of algebra through something they find interesting and are good at then maybe so many won’t fail. But since we get taught the boring textbook way and not a unique and cool way then not only do we start to slack in algebra

The article, “Punch Up Algebra with POWs,” by Mark Pinkerton and Kathryn Shafer begins by stressing the importance of problem solving abilities since it leads to understanding mathematical concepts. The authors stress that students need to be given the opportunity to “reason and make sense of mathematics.” The article examines co-author, Mark Pinkerton’s, yearlong experience that was designed to provide constant problem solving opportunities for his students. (Pinkerton & Shafer, 2013).

The Case of Randy Harris describes the lesson of a middle school mathematics teacher, and how he uses diagrams, questions, and other methods to guide his students to a better understanding. Throughout his case study, Harris’ methods could be easily compared to that of the Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices. There are eight mathematical teaching practices that support student learning, most of which are performed throughout Randy Harris’ lesson. Harris didn’t perform each teaching practice perfectly, despite doing the majority of them throughout his lessons. The following are examples of how Randy Harris implemented the eight mathematical teaching practices into his lesson, and how the ones that were neglected should have been

What is the most effective way to teach? Can students really learn and fully understand the material teachers convey to them on a day to day basis? According to a middle school mathematics teacher, his methods of teaching the traditional way was not as effective and producing a long-term impact as he would have liked. The article "Never Say Anything a Kid Can Say!" enriches us to the possibility of applying slight gradual modifications to our teaching methods and how we could find ways to utilize that information in the search for more effective teaching methods to encourage students to explain their thinking and become more deeply involved in the classroom discussions, thus developing their questioning skills (Reinhart, 2000). After

Geometry and Algebra are so crucial to the development of the world it is taught to every public high school in the United States, around 14.8 million teenagers each year (National Center for Education Statistics). Mathematics is the engine powering our world; our stocks, economy, technology, and science are all based off from math. Math is our universal and definite language “I was especially delighted with the mathematics, on account of the certitude and evidence of their reasonings.” (Rene Descartes, 1637).

Formulas, factoring, derivatives: math topics make many people cringe and are viewed difficult to endure when learning these boring concepts. On the other hand,

Overcoming Math Anxiety by Sheila Tobias, 1995, lays out the groundwork for addressing math related stereotypes and understanding where peoples math anxiety has come from, why it continues, and most importantly, how to start working on overcoming it. A strong theme that continues throughout the book is the issue of gender differences in relation to math anxiety and why from Tobias’s findings and opinion is either true or false. However, the message throughout the book is clear. While math anxiety is a real issue that many suffer from, because of the everyday use of math and the benefits of being competent at using it, we are limiting ourselves by avoiding the subject like the plague and therefore must find ways to move past the anxiety.

Question 16 of the EYMCT identified my weakness in Number and Algebra sub-strand patterns and numbers. Even with tutoring during high school I was unable to achieve a deep understanding in this area of mathematics (see appendix A). Given the test results, these challenges that I faced within this area of mathematics has continued into adulthood. Even after reviewing Question 16, I struggle to see the structure of the pattern and how “CC” comes next in the pattern “AA BB AA CC AA DD BB CC BB DD”. As a preservice educator, this lack of confidence in and a shallow understanding on algebraic patterns can negatively impact on student’s achievements in other areas of mathematics. This is because patterns in algebra can be linked to other areas of

Maths is ubiquitous in our lives, but depending on the learning received as a child it could inspire or frighten. If a child has a negative experience in mathematics, that experience has the ability to affect his/her attitude toward mathematics as an adult. Solso (2009) explains that math has the ability to confuse, frighten, and frustrate learners of all ages; Math also has the ability to inspire, encourage and achieve. Almost all daily activities include some form of mathematical procedure, whether people are aware of it or not. Possessing a solid learning foundation for math is vital to ensure a lifelong understanding of math. This essay will discuss why it is crucial to develop in children the ability to tackle problems with initiative and confidence (Anghileri, 2006, p. 2) and why mathematics has changed from careful rehearsal of standard procedures to a focus on mathematical thinking and communication to prepare them for the world of tomorrow (Anghileri).

Mathematics, like every creation of man, have evolved without really knowing how far you can get with them: the scope of the computer, physics, chemistry, algebra, all are evidence of this. Every aspect of our culture is based in some way or another in Mathematics: language, music, dance, art, sculpture, architecture, biology, daily life. All these areas of measurements and calculations are accurate. Even in nature, everything follows a precise pattern and a precise order: a flower, a shell, a butterfly, day and night, the seasons. All this makes mathematics essential for human life and they can not be limited only to a matter within the school curriculum; here lies the importance of teaching math in a pleasure, enjoyable and understandable way. Mathematics is an aid to the development of the child and should be seen as an aid to life and not as an obstacle in their lifes.