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 - July 8, 2026
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on July 8, 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
Pam 0:01
Hey, fellow math-ers! Welcome to the podcast where Math is Figure-Out-Able. I'm Pam Harris.
Kim 0:08
And I'm Kim Montague.
Pam 0:09
And this episode is a MathStratChat episode because 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 0:21
Okay, so this week our problem is 25 times 7 times 4. How would you solve this problem? Pause the podcast. Solve it however you'd like. The problem is 25 times 7 times 4. What you want to do?
Pam 0:38
I mean, we could... Can I do two? Why don't you do what you're going to do, and then I'll do. Because I'll do one. Is all right? I got two. I want to play with one, but go ahead.
Kim 0:50
Okay, I... I mean, I kind of don't want to do the easiest one, so I'm go...
Pam 0:58
I could do that. I'll do the easy one. 25 times 4 is 100. So, out of order. And now we have 100 times 7 is 700. Okay. Got that one out of the way.
Kim 1:08
I did think about 25 times 7, even though, you know, it sits in order, whatever, because of like quarters. And I know that 7 quarters is $1.75.
Pam 1:19
Yep.
Kim 1:19
And then I could just double double.
Pam 1:21
Oh, nice. I hadn't thought about double doubling.
Kim 1:23
Yeah, yeah.
Pam 1:24
That's cool.
Kim 1:25
So, I was that 350 and 7. So, 700.
Pam 1:29
Yep, yep. Brilliant.
Kim 1:32
What you got?
Pam 1:32
Okay, cool. Nothing as cool.
Kim 1:37
I thought you said you had two you want to do. Did I steal your second one?
Pam 1:38
I did, but I hadn't worked it out enough to know that it was dumb.
Kim 1:43
Oh.
Pam 1:43
I had an idea, and now I don't like it. You know like.
Kim 1:46
You can do that. It's totally legal. You can start an idea, and then be like, "Nah, never mind."
Pam 1:51
That's playing. Yeah. Alright, y'all. We can't wait to see what you do each week. Join us here on MathStratChat, and let us know how you think about the problems, and comment on each other's strategies.
Kim 2:01
We post the problems on... Pam posts the problems on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. Central. When you answer, tag her and use the hashtag MathStratChat. Then join us here on these episodes to hear what we're thinking about the problems.
Pam 2:16
Y'all, thanks for being part of the Math is Figure-Out-Able movement. Math is Figure-Out-Able!