My 4th grade ds wants to know "why must I write fractions in their lowest term?"

[jacqui in mo]

Mostly he just wants to argue the life outta me:tongue_smilie: but I cannot give him a good example of why. I have said that it makes the answer more clear & easier to understand but he "doesn't buy that". Is there a better explanation?

 

Jacqui

[Pam in MA]

When he gets a little further along, he'll be multiplying and adding those numbers and he'll be faced with HUGE, LONG mulitiplication problems if he doesn't reduce them down! Say instead of 3/4 x 2/3 he can multiply 75/100 x 66/99 and see how he likes that! (I guess you can't always say "because I said so!")

[ljf]

I think it is fun, but to him I'd argue that later, when more operations are going to be done, that reduced fraction are easier to deal with. For instance 1/2*1/2 is easier then 50/100*35/70.

[ljf]

I have got to learn how to type faster!

[jacqui in mo]

Well, I think the "Because I said so" argument is going to have to suffice, lol. He doesn't believe me on references to the future of his math problems. And since the ones we're talking about are The Answer with no more to do with them, he doesn't want to do that extra little step if he can help it. He is my little know it all and doesn't accept most of my explanations or corrections for his math. What Fun! Jacqui

[sagira]

Good answers. No help here, but I just wanted to say, that sounds just like something my five-year-old ds would ask -- God help us in 4th grade :lol:

[elegantlion]

I told my ds last week that fractions are reduced because they like to be "really small". Not too academic, but he understood.

[Dani n Monies Mom]

If it's any help, dd's Math u See program (Epsilon) says it's o.k. not to reduce. Mr. Demme does require it later on, but it almost seems more of a natural consequence of what he's teaching next and not a requirement. Dd reduces with no problems at this point.

 

Perhaps wait until he gets to 35/70 * 50/100 to figure out that he wants to reduce on his own.

 

Ava

[mom31257]

It is a good point at having larger fractions later. In algebra, he will be continually looking for factors and trying to reduce to make the problems then even simpler. Reducing really helps improve their multiplication and division skills, as well. The more they do, the quicker it will become for them.

 

If the directions say to do it, then I think it is just fine to say "because I said so". Many kids and adults don't want to do what's required of them. It's human nature for us to want an "easy" out. I would try to be understanding to a point, but in the end, you're the teacher and he should do his assignments.

 

What do you do if he doesn't? Do you give him grades for completing his assignments? Does he lose privileges for it? If my kids were to purposefully leave off part of an assignment, there would be consequences. My attitude has been, if my child were in school, they would get in trouble at home for failing to do their work, so they should for homeschool work, too.

[StephanieZ]

Well, I think the "Because I said so" argument is going to have to suffice, lol. He doesn't believe me on references to the future of his math problems. And since the ones we're talking about are The Answer with no more to do with them, he doesn't want to do that extra little step if he can help it. He is my little know it all and doesn't accept most of my explanations or corrections for his math. What Fun! Jacqui

 

I would explain what others have posted here (that doing so is a skill needed for later math) and just require he do it b/c it is the instructions. There are many, many things like this in math. . . The next level always build on previously taught skills. Reducing the fractions should be very easy once learned. If it is very easy, then arguing is just obnoxiou. If it isn't very easy, then more practice is needed! (Thus, I'd offer to write up extra problem sets. . .). My offers of extra problem sets are usually enough to end the discussion. ;)

 

My dc can also be prone to debate. . . but once I've offered a reasonable explanation, I really don't accept continued argument. At that point, I explain that it is disrespectful to continue arguing and that unless they have a new point, the discussion is over. Or Else.

[In The Great White North]

He doesn't believe me on references to the future of his math problems.

 

 

Ds told me in 2nd grade that he wasn't going to learn the multiplication tables because he would never need them again! :lol:

[AndyJoy]

You might be able to show him how simplified fractions are easier to deal with by following a recipe. Take a recipe and change all the fractions into large unsimplified ones. (428/856 for 1/2, etc.) Let him sort through a pile of measuring cups and figure out how to measure that! Talk about the ridiculously large number of measuring cups you'd have to deal with all the possible unsimplified fractions. Ask him, "Should we really keep a 1/856 cup (and all the others) in our house? Would this be reasonable?"

[Shelly in VA]

I'm listening to my youngest (almost 3) and his CONTINUAL STREAM OF QUESTIONS (What's that? Why is it a lion? What's that? Why is it a bird? Why? Why? What's that? Why is it a lake? Why? Why? What's that? Why is it my elbow? What's that? Why? Why? Why? Why?). :banghead: It pretty much wears me out for the somewhat more legitimate school questions my older kids have, but it also makes me give the because-I-said-so answer with very little guilt; haha!

 

Shelly

[jacqui in mo]

I'm right there with ya! My 6 yo still asks streams of questions, most of which I can't always have a logical answer to, like "Do China Airplanes have china wings?" "What about the blades (propellers)?" "Do Trains like Conductors?" etc. It's no wonder I can't think of a coherent answer for actual school questions.

[jacqui in mo]

That certainly sounds like my 10 yo son.

[jacqui in mo]

OOoo, I like this idea. That'd be fun & maybe help him stop arguing this point in math. Now, what to do about the other 999 things he will debate with me. I do like him to see the point though if possible. This exercise might do it. Jacqui