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 - January 29, 2025
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on January 29, 2025.
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!
Kim 00:00
Hey, fellow Mathers, welcome to the podcast where Math is Figure-Out-Able. I'm Kim.
Pam 00:05
And I'm Pam.
Kim 00:06
And this episode is a MathStratChat episode where we chat about our math strategies. Every Wednesday evening, Pam throws out a problem on social media, and people from all around the world chat about the strategies they use and comment on each other's thinking.
Pam 00:20
Alright, this Wednesday, our math problem was two-thirds times twelve-fifths.
Kim 00:25
Mmhm.
Pam 00:26
How would you solve this problem? Pause. Solve problem any way you want. Good heavens, did you just crinkle paper?
Kim 00:31
Sorry. Nobody would have heard if you would have said anything because our fabulous editor would have cut it out!
Pam 00:38
Was that a post-it note? Tell me (unclear).
Kim 00:39
No, I turned my page on my paper.
Pam 00:42
Oh, I totally thought... You guys, if you've never seen Kim work, she'll take a post-it note. She's done with it, and she... Am I right?
Kim 00:48
Yeah.
Pam 00:48
You have to crinkle it up.
Kim 00:49
I crumple it and I toss it over my shoulder.
Pam 00:51
(unclear). And then you toss it over your shoulder. It's hilarious.
Kim 00:53
Now, I have a waste, like a tiny little trash can, so I at least hit the trash can with it instead of on the floor.
Pam 00:58
Do you hit it every time? Every time?
Kim 01:00
No, I've got a blue one by the trash can now.
Pam 01:03
Alright, ya'll the problem is two-thirds times twelve-fifths. Solve it anyway you want. Go.
Kim 01:07
Okay.
Pam 01:08
Who's first? You can go first. Okay, I haven't thought about this one. (unclear).
Kim 01:12
Oh, you want me to go first?
Pam 01:14
No, I got it. I'm good. I'm going to think about one-third of 12. So, we're talking about twelve-fifths, but I'm going to ignore the fact that it's a fifth, and I'm just going to think about one-third of twelve. And one-third of 12 is 4, so two 1/3s of 12 is 8. And it's twelve-fifths, so it's eight-fifths. Yeah, final answer.
Kim 01:37
Final answer.
Pam 01:38
Alright, what do you got?
Kim 01:39
Okay. I'm going to think about the fact that I'm writing on my paper 2 times one-third times 12 times one-fifth. So, I'm thinking about that it's two 1/3s and twelve 1/5s. And I'm going to swap those, so that I have...
Pam 01:56
(unclear) property?
Kim 01:57
Mmhm.
Pam 01:58
Yep.
Kim 01:59
So, I'm going to have now twelve 1/3s and two 1/5s. So, that's 4 times two-fifths. And four 2/5s is eight-fifths.
Pam 02:10
Nice. Nice, I like it. That is super cool.
Kim 02:14
Yeah.
Pam 02:14
Alright, ya'll, we can't wait to see what you do each week. Join us on MathStratChat and let us know how you think about the problems. And comment on each other's strategies.
Kim 02:22
Yeah, Pam posts the problems on Wednesday at 7:00 pm Central. And when you answer, make sure you tag her and use the hashtag MathStratChat. Then join us here to hear how we're thinking about the problem. We love having you a part of the Math is Figure-Out-Able movement.
Pam 02:35
Math is Figure-Out-Able.
Kim 02:38
You talk more than me on these. I realize that now. I'm sorry about that.