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Developing mathematical thinking


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How do you do this in your kids?? This is DS 10 doing word problems. Problem says "A pumpkin weighs 21 lbs. The pumpkin weighs 7 times as much as a bunch of bananas. How much does the bunch of bananas weigh?" DS: So I would multiply 21 times 7 right? Me: Um, no. The pumpkin is heavier. Look: the pumpkin is 7 times heavier than the bananas. DS: Ohhh! So I subtract! *sneak out for a silent bathroom scream* This is us daily on word problems. :glare: Help?

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I saw some posters on Pinterest that showed all the terms that would be used to indicate addition or subtraction. The one for addition was shaped like a + sign. I wonder if it would possible to make up something similar showing the common terminology used to indicate multiplication or division? I know algebra word problems were much easier for me when a teacher basically told us that the words "is" or "are" shows where the = sign goes.

 

Ex. Betsy's age is 3 times Susan's age. B = 3S

Betsy and Susan's ages combined are 5 more than Tommy's age. B+S=5T

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How do you do this in your kids?? This is DS 10 doing word problems. Problem says "A pumpkin weighs 21 lbs. The pumpkin weighs 7 times as much as a bunch of bananas. How much does the bunch of bananas weigh?" DS: So I would multiply 21 times 7 right? Me: Um, no. The pumpkin is heavier. Look: the pumpkin is 7 times heavier than the bananas. DS: Ohhh! So I subtract! *sneak out for a silent bathroom scream* This is us daily on word problems. :glare: Help?

 

I feel your pain. My dd is the same. I try to get her to say/write (summarize the problem) in words, then replace with numbers and symbols.

 

A pumpkin is 7 times as much as bananas.

 

replace with:

A pumpkin/ 21

is/ "="

bananas/ bananas

 

Which gives you:

21 = 7 x bananas

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