Math is Figure-Out-Able!

#MathStratChat - July 10, 2024

• Pam Harris, Kim Montague

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In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on July 10, 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 we love it when they comment on each other's thinking.

 

Kim  00:21

Alright, this Wednesday, the math problem was 2,936 plus 599. How would you solve this problem? Go ahead and pause the podcast and solve the problem, and then come on back. It was 2,936 plus 599

 

Pam  00:40

Can I go first?

 

Kim  00:41

Sure. 

 

Pam  00:42

Alright, so I am going to swap some numbers. It's almost like I have a pile of 2,936 marbles and a pile of 599 marbles. And I'm going to take the 99 marbles out of the 599 marble pile, and I'm going to give it to the other pile. But at the same time, I'm going to take the 36 marbles from the 2,936 and I'm going to plop them over into the other pile. That leaves me with 2,999 marbles in one pile and 536 marbles in the other. If I just grab one more marble from the 530... I guess I could have just left one there. I've never thought about that. Anyway. So, if I grab one from the 536 to give to the 2,999, I end up with 3,000 plus the leftover 535, which is just 3,535.

 

Kim  01:33

Um... I hear that. I didn't... (unclear) I don't know. I just don't... I'm not feeling it as much. And maybe because the 599 just feel so 600 to me.

 

Pam  01:48

Yeah.

 

Kim  01:49

I mean, whatever. So, I did 3,000... 2,936 plus 600.

 

Pam  01:56

Okay.

 

Kim  01:57

And really, at that point...

 

Pam  01:58

That's not easy for me right there. That doesn't flow. Like I can get... I can hear that you're doing that. But then, if I think about 2,936 plus 600, I have to get over that hump. (unclear)

 

Kim  02:10

Well, really, I kind of, I just thought about 2900 and 600. Like, I kind of (unclear).

 

Pam  02:16

Ah, that's nice. Okay.

 

Kim  02:17

(unclear) Well, 29 and 6 is 35. Ah, that's... Okay.

 

Pam  02:23

So, 3600 and then...

 

Kim  02:27

Yeah.

 

Pam  02:28

Wait, say it. 3600 or 3500?

 

Kim  02:31

I'm sorry, 3500 and 36, but then the back 1. So, I did 2900 and 600, which is 3500. Then I threw back the 36, so I got 3536. And then I backed up the 1 because I had added 600 instead of 599.

 

Pam  02:50

Nice, nice. So, the Over worked pretty well there. Cool.

 

Kim  02:54

Yeah, not bad. Alright, everyone. We love to see what you do each week. Join us on MathStratChat and let us know how you think about the problems. And it's especially fun when we scroll to see how you are commenting on other people's strategies. 

 

Pam  03:07

Yeah, it makes everybody feel so noticed, and cool, and just like...

 

Kim  03:12

Yeah. 

 

Pam  03:12

It helps everybody feel like, "Man, I'm, mathing. I'm mathing with the best of them." Ya'll, we post these problems on Wednesdays around 7pm Central Time. When you answer, tag me, and use the hashtag MathStratChat. 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. Math is Figure-Out-Able!