My DS just turned 7 years old. He enjoys math. Yesterday, he asked me how to convert six fifteenth (6/15) into real numbers. My first through is to use decimal division (6 divided by 15), which he has not learned yet. I was stocked and not knowing how to show him that 6/15=0.4 without using division. Around 5 minutes later, he told me that, "never mind, he just figured out the answer". He said that: 6/15=2/5 each 1/5 is 0.2 twice 1/5 is 0.4

Thanks for your kind replies. The sample question I used above is not a proper one. The question below is the challenge. A farmer raises rabbits and chickens in a barn. The total head count of animals is 10 and the sum of their feet is 28. How many chickens and rabbits are raised in the barn? He can use trial and error...starting with one chicken and 9 rabbits...until...right combination..

My son enjoys math very much. He is working on grade 3/4 math word problems... Sometimes he encounter problems like this.. A boy and a girl collected 24 nuts. The boy collected two times as many nuts as the girl. How many did each collect? He can solve the problem by trial and error using different numbers... For me, it would make sense to use algebraic equation to solve this type of questions...it is fast and accurate... Should I introduce him algebraic method? I am afraid that if I introduce the method too early, it will kill his imagination and creativity.

My boy just turned five years old and he possesses special interest in math. Currently, I teach him about multiple digit multiplication. My thinking is that the traditional vertical multiplication method (also used in Khan Academy) does not help him to get "deeper" understanding about the natural of multiplication and base 10 system. I remember when I was child, I learned the method but I did not understood and just memorized it. I, instead, decide to teach him attack this type of problem by using multiplication distributive property. He comprehends the concept pretty well with the help of "RODs". Below is his thinking process to solve the question: 14x26 = 14x20 + 14x6 = 14x10 + 14x10 + 6x14 = 280 + 6x10 + 6X4 = 364 There is nothing wrong with his method, but if you look closely, you will see that he likes to split the rear number. 14*6 = 6*14 = 6*10 + 6*4 Is my approach overkill or should I just follow main stream ?

My boy is four and half years old. He has been an accelerated learner. He start to read when he was two. Now, he is a fluent reader at grade two level, and could read picture books for fun and information for hours by himself but does not want to read chapter books. He thinks they are dry and boring without colorful pictures. I do not push him in terms of reading at all. His math skill started to emerge at the age of four. I certainly encourge him to learn math. He can do double digit subtraction and addition with borrowing and grouping in his head, and is learning long multiplication and division. He also could do some pre-algebra questions involving negative number concepts. The other day, I read a discussion about "Early readers average out by 3rd grade" - what's your take?" http://forums.welltr...hats-your-take/ Does this also happen in math subject? If this is true, there is no reason for me teach him math though he told me he enjoys math more than reading.

Thank you, Stacey

If you look closely, my way is just traditional subtraction borrowing in horizontal format. I particularly use this format to train his number skills... Before I introduced him negative concept, he came up (36-20) + (10-9) or (30-20) + (16-9 ). I want to show that that there is more than one way to solve a math problem. You can play with numbers and math is fun.

My four and half yo boy has been learning subtraction with borrowing from me. Such as: 46 - 29 = (30 - 20) + (10+6-9)= 17 Two days ago, I introuduced him negative number concept. such as: 3-5 = (-2) and 5+(-3)=2. Last night, he tought me his own interesting way to deal with the same subtraction question without using the concept of borrowing, 46-29= (40-20) + (6-9) = 20 +(-3) = 17 How about that........ :laugh:

My four and half years old boy has been learning subtraction from me. Such as: 46 - 29 = (30 - 20) + (16-9)= 17 (this is subtraction borrowing in horizontal format) Two days ago, I introuduced him negative number concept. such as: 3-5 = (-2) and 5+(-3)=2. Last night, he showed me his own interesting way to deal with the same subtraction question without using the concept of borrowing: 46-29= (40-20) + (6-9) = 20 +(-3) = 17 How about that.... :laugh:

Last week, I took my boy to get a test. The doctor did not do IQ test, because my boy is only 4 and half year old. The Doc believed that IQ test is not accurate before 6 years old. The doctor, nevertheless, did the achievement test. After the test, he commented that the boy is profoundly gifted . He read some books and then was questioned by the doctor. He did some math. . Me and the doc both were amazed how he came up his own ways to solve problems. What I want to whine is that the local public and charter schools still do net accept him to the kindergarten this coming fall because he is one month behind the school cut-off date (Aug/31) even with the Doc's eveluation and approval. They said he is not mature yet. The only private school that accepts him costs $ 18,000/year. Home schooling is not an option. Last year I was worried the problem will come up this year, now I am facing it and still have no solutions.

This is exactly what my son's logic... 5+5+5 is "five three times".. The way he memorize the multiplicationt table is 5x1=5 (5) 5x2=10 (5+5) 5x3=15 (5+5+5) 5x4=20 (5+5+5+5) .... .... 5X10=50 (5+5.......+5) Once, he even told that 5X15=75, which I never taught him before. I asked him how he did it...he simply explained that, "5x10=50 and then 50 + "five five times" is 75". Right at that moment, I figured that it is almost impossible for him to change his thinking. He got all his logic imprinted in his brain. Currently he is 4 and half years old. I just taught him multiplication table for fun. I neither expected him to memorize nor understand it. I just wish his logic of "five three times" will not create any trouble in the future. IF there are really negative effects, please your thoughts. I hope it is not too late for me to correct him.

My boy currently is learning multiplication and he memorizes the table of multiplication. Currently I am using miguon math and singapore math to teach him. Both materials teach multiplication operation in the expression as follows: 5+5+5 =3X5 My boy, however, always does the multiplication operation in a reverse way: 5+5+5 = 5X3. He follows this logic and already gets right answers in the end when dealing with multiplication related questions. I have tried very hard to correct him but it seems that his method is deep rooted in his brain and it is very hard for him to change. Actually his way is exactly the same way I learned multiplication operation while I was a kid. And this way did not stop me from becoming an engineer. I am just afraid that if his way will create conflict with how school will teach him. Should I be concerned about this? Or It is really not a big deal? Thanks for your advise.

Thanks for kind and helpful advises above.

Thanks for all kind replies from people above. Does Homeschooling without using English really work? I wish someone that has done this or is doing this right now tell me this will work without any residual side effects. I can take him to participate many activates. But I am not sure if this will be enough.

This is my first post over here. I really enjoy this board. Many good people share good advises. My oldest son is four and half years old and is an accelerated learner. His reading level is around late grade two. He can do two-digit addition and subtraction with regrouping and multiplication and division in his head (thanks to Miguon Curriculum). He will not be able to start his Kindergarten education until 2014 summer because his birthday is after the Sept/1 cutoff date. Although he is happy and eager to learn more about these subjects , my parents, friends and wife constantly warn me that I should stop teaching him. They believe that if I make him accelarated too much in these areas, in the future, he will be bored in school and create troubles during classes. Teachers and classmates will not like him. Eventually he may end up with not wanting to go to school. As I and my wife both are not native speakers and living in US, homeschooling is not an option for my son. He needs to go to school to learn proper English. It is very hard for me to say "NO" to him whenever he passionately asks me to teach him more about these subjects. Am I really creating more harm than good to him by fulfilling his academic interest at this early age? I am on the horns of a dilemma. Please share your thoughts with me.