Math is Figure-Out-Able!

Math teacher educator Pam Harris and her cohost Kim Montague answer the question: If not algorithms, then what? Join them for ~15-30 minutes every Tuesday as they cast their vision for mathematics education and give actionable items to help teachers teach math that is Figure-Out-Able. See www.MathisFigureOutAble.com for more great resources!

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Math is Figure-Out-Able!

#MathStratChat - June 19, 2024

June 19, 2024 • Pam Harris

0:00 | 5:47

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on June 19, 2024.

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 00:00

Hey, fellow mathers! Welcome to the podcast where Math is Figure-Out-Able. I'm Pam.

Kim 00:06

And I'm Kim.

Pam 00:07

And this episode is a MathStratChat episode, where we chat about our math strategies. Every Wednesday evening, I throw out a math problem on social media, and people from around the world chat about the strategies they use, and comment on each other's thinking.

Kim 00:19

Okay, so this Wednesday, the problem was 312 divided by 8. How would you solve this problem? Pause. Solve it however you'd like. The problem is 312 divided by 8.

Pam 00:32

Bam. Alright. You go first today.

Kim 00:36

Okay. 312.

Pam 00:38

I mean, I guess I don't have to demand that you go first. I was giving you the option.

Kim 00:42

No, it's totally fine. Okay. So, when I see 312, I actually am thinking 320 because I know that 4 times 8 is 32. So, 40 times 8 would be 320. And we're only 8 away from 320, so one group of 8 less would be 312 divided by 8, which would be thirty-nine 8s,

Pam 01:07

Bam. Nice. Nice Over strategy. It feels a lot like what I did last week.

Kim 01:11

Yep.

Pam 01:12

For last week's problem. Okay, cool. So, then maybe I'm going to try to do what you did last week. So, I'm going to think about 312. And I've written it as a fraction 312 to 8 or three hundred and twelve eighths. And I'm going to divide both by... I was going to try to do by 4, but I'm not sure I can do that without more jury rigging, so maybe just divided by 2. So, I know. 300 divided by 2 is 150. And 12 divided by 3 is 6, so that would be 56. And 8 divided by 2 is 4. And now I have 56 divided by 4. Does not feel like 39. What did I do wrong? Oh, 156. Ha, ha, ha. I wrote down 56. That's funny. Alright, so 156 divided by 4. Golly, I think I'll just do that in half again. Hey, this is actually reminding me of some halving conversations. Like, finding half of things. That we've been having lately. Because I didn't used to know the half of 150.

Kim 02:06

Mmm, mmhm.

Pam 02:07

So, it's super helpful to know that half of 150. So, I had to find it often. And I've found it often enough now that I know that half of 150 is 75.

Kim 02:18

Yeah.

Pam 02:19

And so, I've got half of 150 is 75. Half of 6 is 3. So, I've sort of have... Wait, what am I doing? Oh, yeah. So, that's 78 divided by 2.

Kim 02:31

Yep.

Pam 02:32

And 78 divided by 2 is 39.

Kim 02:34

Yeah. I'm glad that you mentioned the halving because it is a really, really important thing. And like, you know, just having that be a routine in your classroom can be really, really beneficial.

Pam 02:46

Yeah, just throw out a number and have kids find half of it. It's not about memorizing halves. It's about finding halves often, so that your brain travels that path. And some becomes super familiar. And your brain looks for halves. Like, it's a thing. It looks for factors of 2. Yeah, that's a really mathy thing to do. Cool.

Kim 03:04

Hey, I have my paper from last week.

Pam 03:06

Okay.

Kim 03:07

And do you remember that I wrote it last week in like a fraction format?

Pam 03:13

Yeah, last week was 351 divided by 9.

Kim 03:15

Yeah. And I wrote this problem the same way. But it's kind of near there. And I was like, "Man, they're both 39." And the answer last week was 39 also. And so, I just... Like, I'm staring at 312 divided by 8 and 351 divided by 9. And they're both 39. I'm like, "Oh, that's interesting." Like, I just... I feel like there's lots to notice there. Anyway, so.

Pam 03:37

You're going to be thinking about that (unclear).

Kim 03:39

I am. I am. Yeah, it's just... I mean, it's fun.

Pam 03:42

Certainly it wasn't purposeful that they both.

Kim 03:45

Ha ha.

Pam 03:45

Ha ha ha. Alright, everybody.

Kim 03:47

Alright.

Pam 03:47

We love seeing what you do each week. Join us on on MathStratChat, and let us know how you think about the problems. And we love it when you comment on each other's strategies.

Kim 03:56

Yeah, we post the problems on Wednesday at 7pm Central. And when you answer, tag Pam, and use the hashtag MathStratChat.

Pam 04:04

Then join us here to hear how we're thinking about the problem. We love having you as part of the Math is Figure-Out-Able movement because Math is Figure-Out-Able!