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 - March 25, 2026
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In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on March 25, 2026.
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
Kim 0:00
Hey, fellow mathers. Welcome to the podcast where Math is Figure-Out-Able. I'm Kim Montague.
Pam 0:07
And I'm Pam Harris.
Kim 0:09
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 around the world chat about the strategies they use and comment on each other's thinking.
Pam 0:23
Okay, this Wednesday, our math problem was 50 and 82/100 or 50.82 plus 39 and 38/100 or 39.38. How would you solve this problem? Pause, solve the problem any way you want. The problem is 50.82 plus 39.38. Go. That was awesome. That's the first time we've ever
switched that.
Kim 0:46
Did you have to think about me saying my name first?
Pam 0:46
Totally. Yes. And then I totally had to think when you said your last name, I was like, "Okay, say your last name."
Kim 0:46
Alright, do you want to go first or do you want me to?
Pam 0:54
Ah, I kind of want you to go first. I feel like you slaughtered me last couple times.
Kim 1:06
Okay. For this one, I felt like Over. And so, I thought about 50.82 plus 40.
Pam 1:16
Okay.
Kim 1:17
And that would be 90.82. But I thought about the fact that I had added too much, and I was really happy when I realized I added $0.62 too much because I was at 90.82. So, then when I subtracted 0.62, then it left me with 90.2. or 90 and 20/100.
Pam 1:39
Nice. Alright, I'm going to swap a little bit whether I should or not. So, I'm going to think about the $0.80 in the $50.82, and I'm going to swap that with the $0.30 in the $39.38. So, I'm going to end up with 50.32 plus 39.88.
Kim 2:01
Mmhm.
Pam 2:01
Then, I'm going to do a little Give and Take. So, I'm going to give $0.12 to the $39.88 to make $40.00. That means I got to take $0.12 from the $50.32. That leaves me $50.20. And I end up with $50.20 plus $40.00 is $90.20, which is your 90.2.
Kim 2:23
Yeah, nice.
Pam 2:24
Not bad.
Kim 2:25
I like that you... In the last couple weeks, you've been meshing strategies together. And I think that's worth noting because I think that sometimes we might give the impression. Maybe not. But that like, you pick a strategy, you do the whole. Like, that's part of the flexibility, right? Like when you make something equivalent, then you're like, "What do I want to do now?" Yeah. I like. Well done.
Pam 2:52
Nice. Alright, y'all, 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 3:00
Pam posts the problems on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Central. And when you answer, tag her and use the hashtag MathStratChat. Then join us here to hear how we're thinking about the problem.
Pam 3:10
Y'all, we love having you as part of the Math is Figure-Out-Able movement. Math is Figure-Out-Able!