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!
Math is Figure-Out-Able!
#MathStratChat - October 23, 2024
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on October 23, 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
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, our math problem was 80% of 20. And we're interested how would you solve this problem. Pause the podcast. Solve it however you'd like. The problem is 80% of 20.
Pam 00:31
Okay. So... Hmm. What do you got? You want to do anything?
Kim 00:36
Yeah. I'm going to say that I know that 80% is four-fifths.
Pam 00:41
Wow, nice. Okay.
Kim 00:43
And so I know that one-fifth of 20...
Pam 00:47
Yeah.
Kim 00:48
...is 4. So, four-fifths is going to be 16.
Pam 00:52
Say that one more time.
Kim 00:55
Four... Do I...
Pam 00:58
Just say it again. Just say it again.
Kim 01:00
Four-fifths of 20. So, one-fifth of 20 is 4. So, four-fifths.
Pam 01:06
That's the part I missed. Okay, one-fifth is 4. And then four-fifths. How did you find the four-fifths then?
Kim 01:12
How did I find it?
Pam 01:13
Like, if you know 1/5.
Kim 01:15
Yeah, then...
Pam 01:15
Did you do 4 times that?
Kim 01:17
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Pam 01:18
Okay, cool. So, I'm going to also think about one-fifth of 20 as 4. But I'm going to say that the 80% is one-fifth less...
Kim 01:27
Yep.
Pam 01:28
...than 100%. So, I'm going to say 20 minus 4 is 16.
Kim 01:33
Nice.
Pam 01:33
Would be a way of doing that.
Kim 01:34
That's funn that we both did four-fifths.
Pam 01:36
The other way that I was thinking about. I just didn't like finish it. So, if you don't mind because now my brain is going there. 10% of 20 is 2. So, 20% of 20 is 4. And then I could do either way. I could scale that up times 4 or I could subtract it from the 100%.
Kim 01:55
Nice.
Pam 01:56
10% to find 20% Yeah. Okay, cool.
Kim 01:58
I like it. Alright.
Pam 01:59
Nice.
Kim 02:00
We cannot wait to hear and see what you do every week. And you know I love it when you record your thinking on paper or something when I scroll through there. That's my favorite. So, join us on MathStratChat and let us know how you think about the problems and comment on each other's strategies.
Pam 02:14
You probably really like it when they write it in pencil too. Yeah, it's fun to see.
Kim 02:19
It's better than typing. (unclear).
Pam 02:21
Well, it's better than typing, but is it also better than pen? That was my point. (unclear).
Kim 02:24
I would take pen writing them (unclear)
Pam 02:27
Over typing? Yeah,
Kim 02:29
Over typing, yeah.
Pam 02:30
Yeah, that makes sense.
Kim 02:31
They stand out. (unclear).
Pam 02:32
Yeah, yeah. Hey, we post the problems on Wednesdays at 7pm Central time. And 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 because Math is Figure-Out-Able.