Math is Figure-Out-Able!

#MathStratChat - February 14, 2024

Pam Harris

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on February 14, 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 mathematicians! 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  00:21
Okay, so this Wednesday, we had 24% of 44. We're curious how you solve this problem? Pause the podcast, give yourself time to think, and then come on back to here how we've solved it.

Pam  00:35
Alright, so I'm super interested to think about the communitive property today. Can I start there? 

Kim  00:40
Sure. 

Pam  00:40
So, instead of finding 24% of 44, I'm going to find 44% of 24. 

Kim  00:46
Okay.

Pam  00:46
So, I'm going to think about... I'm thinking. I'm thinking. I'm going to think about 2... Yeah, it's so funny. I'm really thinking in a ratio table today for some reason. And I want to think about 44 times 24, and then do the percent.  Okay, so I'm thinking about 24s, and I'm going to find two 24s. That's 48. And then, I'm going to find four 24s. So, double the 48. That's 96. Now, I've got four 24s. I'd like to have forty 24s, so I'm going to scale that 96 times 10 to get 960. And then, I'm going to add those two together because I've got four 24s is 96. Forty 24s is 960. When I add those together, I get forty-four 24s, 960 and 100 would be 1,060, back up 4 is 1,056. So, 44 times 24 is 1,056. But I want 44% of 24, so I'm thinking it's 10.56.

Kim  01:04
Okay.  I love that you said that you want to think about the 24 and 44 because it gives kids... If that sort of thinking is something that you're sharing out, then it really brings meaning to the percent of 100 and the relationship of percentages. Right, it's not just like this random other thing, but it's a hundredth of something.

Pam  02:16
Ah, okay. 

Kim  02:16
So that's nice. I'm actually going to not go 24% or 44. I'm going to go 25% of 44 because I think that's super slick. So, 25% of 44 is 11. Not too much to worry about there. And then, I'm 1% over. So, 1% of 44. I like to scale one at a time. So, I'm going to go 10% of 44 is 4.4. 4 and 4/10. But I really need 1%. So, I'm going to scale again, which is 0.44. And so, I just have 11 minus 0.44. And with I Have, You Need, then I know it's going to be 56 with the 44. So, that's 10.56.

Pam  02:18
Cool. Nice. I really like how you use the quarter, the 25%. Hey, just really quick, though. I'm actually curious. How did you find 25% of 44? You just said, "And that's 11." 

Kim  03:18
Yeah, I mean, I think because I know that 25 and 100. There's a relationship of times 4. And so, I was thinking about what times 4 is 44. 

Pam  03:28
Okay.

Kim  03:28
So, 11 times 4. 

Pam  03:30
Like a fourth of 44. 

Kim  03:31
Yeah. 

Pam  03:32
44 divided by 4.

Kim  03:33
Mmhm. 

Pam  03:33
Anyone of those. Cool.

Kim  03:34
Yeah. 

Pam  03:36
Alright. That was awesome. I wonder how you are thinking about the problem. I wonder if your strategy was like ours or something entirely different. Represent your thinking, take 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.

Kim  03:52
And be sure while you're there, you tag Pam on social media and use the hashtag MathStratChat. 

Pam  03:58
Hashtag. 

Kim  03:59
Absolutely. So, check out the problems that she posts on Wednesday around 7pm Central Standard Time, and then pop back here to hear how we're thinking about the problem.

Pam  04:09
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!