Math is Figure-Out-Able!

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on November 20, 2024. 

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Should high school mathematicians be given choice of which strategy to use? In this episode Pam and Kim wrap up their exploration of systems of equations.
Talking Points:

• What is needed to understand 3x?
• Where students mess up using substitution 
• How do different systems lend themselves to different strategies?
• Ketchup problems
• Next step Problem Strings and comparing strategies
• Giving students choice

Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education
Linkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC 

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on November 13, 2024. 

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Don't you think math needs more cookies in it? In this episode Pam and Kim use Desmos graphing calculator to go through a routine to make sense of systems of equations before doing any elimination or substitution.
Talking Points:

• Kim going to a Cafe for sandwiches and cookies
• Graphing on Desmos graphing calculator
• Understanding x and y intercepts
• Understanding where the lines intersect 
• Relating systems of equations to each other

Link to Desmos Graphing Calculator: https://www.desmos.com/calculator/qq59ey0bub 

Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education
Linkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC 

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on November 6, 2024. 

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Do we flip the sign when its negative? Or is it we keep the sign and flip the minus? I'm confused! In this episode Pam and Kim avoid all that confusion and make solving inequalities figureoutable!
Talking Points:

• Open Number Lines for Inequalities
• Using "Reflecting the inequality" vs "flipping the sign"
• Reasoning about balancing the equation

Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education
Linkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC 

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on October 30, 2024. 

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Solving equations is figureoutable! In this episode Pam and Kim do a follow up string to last week's episode to further develop algebraic reasoning.
Talking Points

• Using a double open number line to build proportional reasoning
• Using what you know to find x and explore multiple relationships
• Understanding equations vs mimicking steps
• Simultaneity can be tricky
• Additive vs Multiplicative thinking showing up
• Operator meaning of fractions comes into play

Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education
Linkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC 

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on October 23, 2024. 

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Do we need to memorize a bunch of rules to solve linear equations or can we reason about them? In this episode Pam and Kim use a model to make thinking visible and keep students reasoning! 

Talking Points: 

• Modeling on a double open number line
• Finding where x lies on a double open number line.
• Grappling with the opposite of x 
• Building integer sense as well as building equation solving sense
• Reasoning about an equation versus balancing an equation

Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education
Linkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC