In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on July 12, 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.
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education
Want more? Check out the archive of all of our #MathStratChat posts!
Pam 00:01
Hey, fellow mathematicians! Welcome to the podcast where Math is Figure-Out-Able. I'm Pam Harris.
Kim 00:07
And I'm Kim Montague.
Pam 00:08
And this episode is a MathStratChat episode. What is MathStratChat? Well, every Wednesday evening, I throw out a math problem on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, all the social media, and people from around the world chat about the strategies they use. We love seeing everyone's thinking.
Kim 00:24
Okay, so this Wednesday, our math problem is 6,015 minus 3,507. How would you solve this problem? Pause the podcast, solve it however you want. Remember, the problem is 6,015 minus 3,507. Solve it, and then come on back to hear how we solve it.
Pam 00:45
Alright, Kim, so last MathStratChat episode, you did a funky thing that is not very...shall we say...natural for me yet. So, I kind of want to mess with that with this. I'm looking at the value 6,015 and 3,507, and I'm thinking to myself I could kind of see in there like a 60 and a 35 at kind of the... It's almost like you have 60 hundreds and 35 hundreds. And I know that 60 hundreds minus 35 hundreds is very similar to 60 minus 35, which is 25 hundreds. And then, I can just think about the 15 minus 7. 15 minus 7 is 8, so that would be 2,508. Hey, is that your thing? (unclear).
Kim 01:31
Yeah. Yeah, I like it. Nicely done. It's super funny because when I saw this problem, I thought I don't often... You know, I love to use Over. But you more naturally use constant difference than I do, so I thought, I'm going to make myself do some things that aren't as naturally occurring. So, I actually put the 3,507 and the 6,015 on a number line.
Pam 02:00
Okay.
Kim 02:00
And I shifted both of those numbers down the number line, 7, so that I could have 3,500 and 6,008. So, I just shifted both numbers down 7. And then, I found the difference between 3,500 and 6,008, and I got 2,508.
Pam 02:21
Nice, nice. I like that. I like that a lot.
Kim 02:24
Look at us trying each other's stuff.
Pam 02:26
Woah! And the reason to do that is because our goal is to be dense mathematical thinkers. It's not just to get an answer. It's to create relationships... And I'm going to totally sneeze. No, maybe not. Woah, that was close. Sorry. It's to create lots of connections in our heads, so that then when we hit other problems, then we have those connections to call on. And, ya'll, it's fun. It's fun to be creative, and try new things, and stretch your brain, and yeah, that's totally fun. Cool. I like it.
Kim 02:59
Super cool. Alright, we cannot wait to see your strategies. I wonder if it was like mine or like Pam's or of course it could be something entirely different. Represent your thinking, take a picture of your work or screenshot on your phone, and tell the world on social media. Help us spread the world word. And while you are checking out other people's thinking, comment on what they did as well.
Pam 03:20
Absolutely. Tag me on Twitter at @PWHarris. Or Instagram, Pam Harris_math. And on Facebook, Pam Harris, author mathematics education. And remember to use the hashtag MathStratChat. And make sure you check out the next MathStratChat problem that we'll post every Wednesday around 7pm Central Time, and then hop back here to hear what we're thinking about the problem. We love having you as part of the Math is Figure-Out-Able movement. Help us keep spreading the word that Math is Figure-Out-Able!
