UGH! 8th Grade Math

[Cataboo]

A totally valid mathematical strategy.

She possibly would have gotten points off for not showing her work.

[DirtDiva]

There is that possibility, I suppose. But hey, what's wrong with:

4x5=20 but 20<980
24x30=720 but 720<980
32x40=1280 but 1280>980
28x35=980 so L=28 and W=35

unless specifically asked to work it out using algebra?

[lph]

I'm guessing that the whole point is to learn algebra, not to find out what the length and width are

But hey, guessing is a working strategy in real life if you blank out on the algebra.

[Bruno28]

I need to lie down in a darkened room.

[ttaylor508]

I don't know if the idea was to solve using algebra. The "new" math, as they call it, really tries to get kids to understand what they are doing, not to simply do the problem and get the right answer using a specific method. When my kids first started elementary, they had a meeting at the school to introduce the "new" math concept and why they are using it. I get whey they are teaching it this way, but I still don't understand all of the methods. I still use the traditional math that I was taught in school which totally confuses my kids when I try to help them. Luckily, DD is a good student and usually doesn't ask me for math help. I think she was just stuck because she had missed two days of lessons. The teachers is actually really great and I emailed her to tell her my daughter was struggling and she is going to sit down with her today.

Thanks for all of the help. I was totally at my wits ends yesterday trying to figure the problem out.

[TsPoet]

I think you are all off by 2x - A triangle is 1/2 of a square, the LxW=area applies to a square, not a triangle. In order to solve the problem, you must know that it is a right triangle as well.

NEVERMIND, my math skills are better than my reading skills, no one was talking about a triangle except me - everyone else was talking about a rectangle.

I'll guy bury my head in the sand now.

[DDH]

Here is a great website I found yesterday trying to help my son who is also eight grade with his algebra. You may not like it, but it's worth a look.


http://khanacademy.org/#Singapore%20Math