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That’s a good point. You know what, it’s way easier to teach how to solve for x when y + x = 3x + 3 and y = 4 than it is to teach long division. As far as I cou
by keenmaster 7y ago
That’s a good point. You know what, it’s way easier to teach how to solve for x when y + x = 3x + 3 and y = 4 than it is to teach long division. As far as I could tell, that basic algebra is also much more important than long division, so why not teach it at an earlier age? The symbology of algebra is probably great for developing minds.
Just show long division for “proofs” while introducing the concept of division, and let kids use a calculator for division after that (supplemented with calculator-free drills). That way there will be more lesson time for advanced topics. Same thing with long multiplication. Show the proofs using long multiplication, then have kids do progressively harder multiplication drills where all the math is done in their head. In fact, kids might grok first principles better that way.
- LegitGandalf 7y agoSome guys in Norway made an app that teaches algebra concepts to 5 year olds using pictures, as the game levels up it slides variables and numbers in.
- keenmaster 7y agoAre you referring to Dragon Box? This looks awesome. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dragonbox-algebra-12/id634444186 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dragonbox-algebra-12/id6344441...
- LegitGandalf 7y agoYeah,it's amazing, I've hooked multiple friends on this app. It turned my friend's girls math fear around, which is really important given that girls are learning to fear math from teachers who are themselves afraid of math. https://news.uchicago.edu/story/female-teachers-can-transfer-fear-math-and-undermine-girls-math-performance https://news.uchicago.edu/story/female-teachers-can-transfer...
- copperx 7y agoYou linked to the iOS version. Do you have a link to the app webpage, which will surely have both Play Store and App Store links?
- yorwba 7y agoThey also told us what it's called, which is enough to find the app webpage in this case: https://dragonbox.com/ https://dragonbox.com/
- ken 7y agoI saw my nephew play this. It’s a great idea but I found the implementation lacking. He got stuck on a level where he had to solve a simple equation, and tried to do it in the “wrong” order. He eliminated an unknown from one side first, and then the system wouldn’t allow him to do the type of operation necessary to complete the other side, maybe because that particular technique hadn’t been taught yet. It would have been a perfectly natural way to solve the equation on a blackboard. I could see they probably wanted him to do the other side first. My nephew tried the same basic approach 3 times in a row, and then gave up and threw the tablet down and went off to play with Lego or something.
- lotu 7y agoGenerally a lot of the formalism of Algebra requires specific brain development milestones dealing with abstraction to be reached. That’s why it is taught at the end of middle school. Now could some concepts be introduced earlier? Yes a common exercise in elementary school is to solve questions in the form of 7 + _ = 15. In this case x is replaced with a _ because variables are hard to grasp.