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ProfSmudge

@profsmudge.bsky.social

350 followers 190 following 680 posts

School maths should be more than tables and algorithms. I try to write materials that show that. Dietmar Küchemann

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ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 41m

I asked whether he could have used common fractions: 1/2 ÷ 8.
He suggested the 'flip...' method, but having changed 1/2 ÷ 8 into the full-blown fractional form 1/2 x 1/8 he wanted to 'fllp' again.

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 46m

He changed 1/2 to 0.5 and then used the unitary method, but initially found 8÷0.5 where he recognised that the result, 16, didn't make sense.
He then got 0.0625 and 0.375 which he knew was 3/8.

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 48m

In #MathsToday I used the classic 'cream for 6 people' recipe task with a Y10 student.
'pints' threw him so I changed this to 'litres'.

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 2h

Taking the extreme cases, it looks like it should be 50....

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ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 22h

Nice. Reminds me of this (Durell, 1939, Geometry for Schools)

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ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 2d

It's German, Jim, but not as you know it

Deutsches Zentrum für Lehrkräftebildung Mathematik @dzlm.bsky.social · 2d

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ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 7d

Dee La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill. A day at the seaside.

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 7d

I've had another look at this. Given your algebraic solution, that the area = 4 = 2², then we must be able to show that the 'houses' fit on the two (red) squares on the sides of your green right-angled triangle with hypotenuse 2:

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 8d

This is all a bit Alice in Wonderland. An 'independent review' says Oak need more funds to publicise their resources, on the strange notion that the resources are worth publicising

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 9d

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ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 11d

Four walnut trees, one walnut....

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 13d

Perhaps you have already done this, as a way of promoting sense making: ask students to compare the fractions without using the procedure, eg by looking at their distance from 1 or how they compare to 1/2. Here 1/3 v 2/5 might be the most challenging item.

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 13d

Cookin', 1957!

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 14d

Do you have any stories?! Love to see one....

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 14d

Interesting stuff.
Strangely, perhaps, I find x1 ½ (or half as much again) far more intuitive than x3/2.
(and I hate 3D arrows)

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 14d

What is an obvious way?!

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 14d

Think of a neat way of calculating the amount of 2-stroke oil needed for 5 litres of petrol to produce a 25:1 mixture of petrol to oil.

ProfSmudge @profsmudge.bsky.social · 14d

@Morrisons 20% off!