Problem Solving

When working out a tricky problem it is helpful 
to have a variety of approaches (ways)
 to try and figure out an answer.

First you need to identify what it is you are being asked to do - solve?
The you need to choose an approach that you think will work:

  • Understand the question
  • What are you being asked?
  • Identify the numbers
  • Identify the calculations
  • What else might need to be solved first?


Then Select an approach
or combine these ideas
Draw it out
Make a map
Make a model
Make a list
Look for a pattern
Create a table to organise your thinking
Estimate and try
Test - Try a number and adjust
Do it logically
Break it in to - step by step parts
Put into time order
Work BACKWARDS
Remember to use UNITS - cm, mm, kg, degrees

Patience + Determination =
Try a different way + come back later







Friday Maths - Board Games

This Challenge requires you to work with one partner to investigate the mathematical content of a classic board game and then to develop some ideas for your own board game design.

Games can show mathematical ideas in their DESIGN and LAYOUT as well as in the GAME PLAY part of the game. Below are some important things to notice and consider for your own game idea.

The mathematical design and Layout of your game 
A typical game board is created by tessellating squares (do you have to use squares?)
The board design and layout is closely associated with GEOMETRY

Sequencing Ordering and Numbering
Are numbers in a normal sequence or do they have a different pattern?
Fractions, Decimals, Percentages, Multiples, Prime Numbers, The Fibonacci Sequence?

What's the objective of the game?
How to win? Strategy? Problem Solving?

Number Content?
Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Money, TAX, bank accounts, interest, percentages

Measurement or Geometry Content - Question Cards?
Speed, Distance, Size, Length, Temperature, Weight...
Direction North, South, East, West

STEP ONE
Use the starter ideas above to help you investigate a common board game and consider its mathematical content.

Take a look at the examples below then select one game to investigate for yourself.

  • Place a copy of the game board into a Google slide
  • Give the page an appropriate title and add your names
  • Next to the game board list all the mathematical ideas you notice about the game including aspects of how the game is played and the sorts of things the game helps you to learn about
  • Screenshot this finished page and upload it to Seesaw as evidence of your investigation.
  • A New Seesaw Activity is Loaded for you




This isn't  a board game - but it could easily be made into one


Game Examples and Ideas

What are Tessellations?

STEP TWO

On a new page in your slide document use the headings below to list your ideas for:

The maths ideas you would like to include in your game - as it is played
The maths ideas in the board design
Strategy and game play ideas
An overall theme that will make this interesting to...
What do you want people to learn by playing your game?

IDEAS...
Navigate the Solar System
A game about navigating through the solar system that involves calculations to do with gravity of the planets

Drag Car Racing Game
A game where players race around a track but need to achieve specific scores to make progress. Obstacles and difficulties cause cars to slow down. A double roll means you go twice the speed but risk a crash! Materials: 2 dice, counters, coin to flip

SHOP TILL YOU DROP
A shopping mall game involving spending far too much money than you really have, discounts to make you buy more and an evil money lender that charges far too much interest on what you have borrowed.


STEP THREE
On an A3 paper start to plan out the design of your game - this is just a draft so don't worry about mistakes at this point...

STEP FOUR
Test out your game - adjust the rules and game play ideas to make it fun

STEP FIVE
To be able to start making your final version of your game you need to show that you have thought things through - copy this document and complete it - then collect the card and other materials you require to make your game.

STEP Six
Make your game.
Save any items you want PRINTED with an appropriate file name in to this FOLDER



Million Dollar Thinking!

Question 1 - Printing Money

If you could print money using your home printer how much money could you print in one year?

Thinking
What ASSUMPTIONS do you need to make in order to figure out a sensible answer?

  • Printer ink = unlimited
  • Printer paper = unlimited
  • You can print 24-7 
  • One double page per minute
  • Six $100 notes per page
How do you figure this out?
Find out the number of minutes in a year then multiply your answer by the dollar value per printed page ($600)

Question 2 - The Bank Robbery



Could you carry a million dollars in your backpack?
How much paper would his be?
How heavy would this be?

Can you find out the weight of a million dollars in gold?

Which would be better to carry in your school bag?
Could you fit more gold or paper money?
Can you figure out how much $$$ you could carry?

Question 3 - How Big is a Million?

Google doc task - Monday



Three Things to Join

1
Get your pin number and join this site
This is a place to do daily multiplication and division practice



2
Go to Prodigy and join the class 
with this code
CODE: 2CF360

3
Join Our Mathletics Class
Log into Mathletics and 
complete the first two activities 
as part of our maths class


4
Go to Hapara 
N3 - Maths Workspace 2019
and OPEN / START 
Assignment 1

How Much Money?

Problem Solving - Question

If you could print money on a home printer - how much money could you make in one year?

How can you work this out?
What assumptions can you make to help you figure out a good answer?
What are the things you need to calculate in order to make a good estimate of this?


What do you know about maths?

THIS SITE:
https://mathslearningnz.blogspot.com/

Complete the quick math survey HERE

Then do as much as you can in the time remaining on the task below
and HAND in YOUR WORK before you go to lunch.

This is more than a test of your maths knowledge.
This is a test of your:
  • focus + time management 
  • communication skills + graphic skills
  • correct use of tools + risk taking 
  • ability to get things done
  • attitude to learning
  • cooperation skills
  • ability to follow instructions
  • first impression - the mark you make when you first meet someone! 

TASK - Date and name your work in the top right hand corner
Use a single A4 piece of (blank) paper to present your ideas and thinking about maths.
Show what you know
  • Fill the page with your thinking
  • Use words - maths vocabulary
  • Symbols
  • Notation
  • Diagrams
  • Graphs
  • Drawings of maths tools
  • Scales and measurement units
  • Create a mind map to organise and group ideas
  • Make connections to the real world
  • Make your ideas stand out from the page
  • Make maths look FUN!
  • YES - use colour
EXAMPLES - IDEAS







Multiplication Investigation

Use a 100's Grid to investigate and discover the different patterns that the multiplication tables make.

 Take a look at these to get you started

 

Can you combine any of the tables on one grid?

What patterns do you notice?

Use a Google Sheet to complete your own example of these multiplication patterns - open and make a copy of this Template

See the link in the side bar on the right
Save this new document in a 
Maths Folder 
inside your Learning folder 
on your Google Drive

Add your name to the end of the document
ie. Multiplication Patterns - James Jones










Factors and Multiples

Words for when you Multiply

Times, Product, Sets of