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 - November 20, 2024
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on November 20, 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 00:01
Hey, fellow mathers! Welcome to the podcast where Math is Figure-Out-Able. I'm Pam.
Kim 00:06
And I'm Kim.
Pam 00:08
And this is a MathStratChat episode because we chat about our math strategies. Every Wednesday evening, I'm going to 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. Love that!
Kim 00:22
Mmhm. So, this week, on Wednesday, we had another compare problem. It was compare four-ninths and six-elevenths. How would you solve this problem? Pause and solve it however you'd like. The problem is compare four-ninths and six-elevenths. You want to go first or you want me too.
Pam 00:39
Now, you have me worried that I'm not going to have anything.
Kim 00:42
I'm going to... Oh, I was going to encourage you to try something.
Pam 00:45
Well, I do. I actually think I want to try that.
Kim 00:47
Okay.
Pam 00:48
Okay, so this is so not planned on purpose. Am I right that four-ninths is five-ninths away from the whole?
Kim 00:57
Mmhm.
Pam 00:58
And six-elevenths is five-elevenths from the whole.
Kim 01:02
Nice.
Pam 01:03
So, now I have to think about what's bigger five-elevenths or five-ninths. Five-ninths, if I only share with 9 people, five-ninths is bigger than five-elevenths, so four-ninths is further from the whole. So, four-ninths is less than six-elevenths.
Kim 01:22
Nice job.
Pam 01:23
Aww, I'm so happy.
Kim 01:24
Yeah, excellent.
Pam 01:26
That nakes me happy.
Kim 01:26
Okay, well, I'm going to go maybe a little bit maybe more obvious. I like what you did there. So, four-ninths is...
Pam 01:37
Well, because it was your strategy I tried.
Kim 01:39
Well, it's good. Well, I'm going to do your strategy from last week then. So, four-ninths is less than half because four and a half 1/9s would be half.
Pam 01:47
Okay.
Kim 01:48
And six-elevenths is more than a half because five and a half 1/11s would be half.
Pam 01:54
Nice.
Kim 01:55
So, then I know that six-elevenths is more than four-ninths.
Pam 02:00
So, ya'll, you might hear us talking about things like five and a half 1/11s and four and a half 1/9s, and say, "Wait, wait, I thought we weren't supposed to mix decimals and fractions or have two fractions in a fraction." Who said? Like, maybe some final answer you don't leave that way. But, ya'll, use them. It's so helpful for so many problems. Yeah, nicely done.
Kim 02:19
Excellent.
Pam 02:20
Alright. Ya'll, we can't wait to see what you do each week. Join us on MathStratChat and let us know how you are thinking about the problems and comment on each other's strategies.
Kim 02:28
Yeah. Pam posts the problem on Wednesdays evenings at 7:00 pm Central, and when you answer, you can tag her and use the hashtag MathStratChat. Then join us here to hear how we're thinking about the problem.
Both Pam and Kim 02:38
We love having you...
Pam 02:40
...as part of the math... Oh, do it together.
Kim 02:42
Math is
Both Pam and Kim 02:43
Figure-Out-Able movement because Math is Figure-Out-Able!