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 - May 28, 2025
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on May 28, 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!
Pam 0:01
Hey fellow mathers! Welcome to the podcast where Math is Figure-Out-Able. I'm Pam Harris.
Kim 0:07
And I'm Kim Montague.
Pam 0:08
And this episode is a MathStratChat episode where there's a good chance we're going to laugh while we (unclear) our math strategies. Every Wednesday evening, I'll 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 0:22
So,
this Wednesday, our math problem was 3.56 plus 2.99. How would you like to solve this problem? Pause the podcast. Solve it however you want. The problem is 3.56 plus 2.99.
Pam 0:37
Dun, dun, dun. Alright, you go first.
Kim 0:39
Can I tell
you before we solve this?
Pam 0:40
Yeah, go ahead.
Kim 0:41
One time, my kid heard... One of my kids heard us talking, and he goes, "Why is math so funny to you?"
Pam 0:49
Haha, nice. (unclear).
Kim 0:50
I said, we have fun when we're talking about math.
Pam 0:52
Yeah.
Kim 0:52
(unclear) math is funny.
Pam 0:54
I mean, it's fun. Yeah. It's fun.
Kim 0:57
Alright, do you want to go first or you want me to go first?
Pam 0:58
Yeah, I want you to go first today.
Kim 1:00
Okay. Last week I did Give and Take with a dime. If you want to think about in terms of money. So, this time I'm going to do it with a penny. So, I'm going to say 3.56 plus 2.99. I'm going to take a penny from the $3.56. I'm going to give it to the $2.99. So, I have $3.55 and $3.00, which is $6.55.
Pam 1:23
Nice. Alright, I'm going to start at 3.56, 3.56, and I'm going to add 3. And so, that would be $6.56, but I added a bit too much. I added a penny too much. So, if I get rid of a penny from $6.56, I would be at $6.55.
Kim 1:43
Mmhm.
Pam 1:43
Dun, dun, dun.
Kim 1:45
I like it.
Pam 1:46
Oh. Thanks for teaching me the over strategy.
Kim 1:48
I'm glad you like it. You're welcome.
Pam 1:50
I certainly do.
Kim 1:51
Alright, well we can't wait to see what you do every week. Join us on MathStratChat and let us know how you think about the problems that Pam poses. We especially love it when you comment on each other's strategies.
Pam 2:02
We post the problems around... Around Wednesday? On Wednesday, around 7:00 p.m. Central time. When you answer, tag me and use the hashtag MathStratChat. Then join us to hear how we're thinking about the problem. Ya'll, thanks for joining us as part of the Math is Figure-Out-Able movement. Math is Figure-Out-Able!