In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on February 1, 2023.
Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.
Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.
Hey, fellow mathematicians! Welcome to the podcast where Math is Figure-Out-Able. I'm Pam Harris.
Kim:
And I'm Kim Montague.
Pam:
And this episode is a MathStratChat episode. What is MathStratChat? Every Wednesday evening, I throw out a math problem on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, all the social media. People from all around the world chat about the strategies they use. It's super to see everyone's thinking. [Music continues].
Both Pam and Kim:
[Laughs].
Pam:
Hey, there, Kim. How's it going?[Laughs]. I think you should just keep going. He'll
Kim:
(unclear). [Laughs] just include it. Keep going. I was writing the problem down.
Pam:
He'll just include it. Just keep going. We're good.
Kim:
Okay, so this week...
Pam:
Hey, everybody, we're recording live today! We're live
Kim:
Oh, goodness. Okay, so this Wednesday, our problem, our math on MathStratChat. problem was three-fourths minus one-fifth. How would you solve this problem? Pause the podcast, solve the problem any way you want. The problem is three-fourths minus one-fifth. Solve it, and then come on back to hear how we solved it.
Pam:
Alright, I'm going to go first today. I'm just calling it. And I'm going to use money. And I'm
Kim:
Okay. actually thinking about pennies.
Pam:
So, I'm going to think about 75 out of 100 pennies, so
Kim:
Yeah. Nice. Okay. three-fourths of $1.00 is 75 pennies. So, 75 out of 100 pennies. And a fifth. A fifth of a dollar is not really a coin that we have, but I can think about a fifth of 100, or a fifth of $1.00 would be $0.20, so that's like 20 out of 100. So, 75 minus 20 is 55 out of 100. And so, I'm thinking, "Huh, that's like last week's MathStratChat problem." 55 out of 100. So, that's like eleven-twentieths. And I just thought about nickels to do that.
Pam:
Yeah. Alright, Kim, what did you do to think about three-fourths minus one-fifth. Okay.
Kim:
Okay, well, I really liked what you did last week, and so I I went with...
Pam:
Oh, that is cool on this one.
Kim:
Yeah.
Pam:
Okay, yeah.
Kim:
So, three-fourths is 7 and a 1/2 dimes. And then, decided to follow suit and use dimes. one-fifth. Again, yeah, you said, not a great coin. But that's the same as 2 dimes. And so, I wrote 7 and a half tenths minus 2 tenths is 5.5 tenths, which at that moment, I went,"Oh, cool. It's the same as your 55 pennies." Which is the 11 nickels, so eleven-twentieths.
Pam:
Nice.
Kim:
Yeah.
Pam:
Cool, I like it.
Kim:
Alright, well, I'll try to pay attention better next time. Okay, we can't wait to see your math strategy. I wonder if your strategy is like one of ours or something entirely different. We love those. Represent your thinking by taking a picture of your work or screenshot your phone, and tell the world on social media. And while you're there, check out what other people did and comment on their thinking as well.
Pam:
Yeah, tag me on Twitter at@PWHarris. Instagram, PamHarris_math. Or Facebook, Pam Harris, author mathematics education. And use the hashtag MathStratChat. And make sure you check out the MathStratChat problem we post on Wednesdays at
7:
00 p.m., Central Time, and pop back here to hear how we are thinking about the problem. We love having you as part of the Math is Figure-Out-Able movement. Let's keep spreading the word that Math is Figure-Out-Able!