Slope vs Steepness – Linear Equations
Steepness refers to the absolute value of the slope, assuming two lines are on axes with the same scale. The line y=2x will have a different steepness if you change the scale on y-axis, but the slope will remain the same. This idea may be relevant to your students’ thinking. If so, have a discussion […]
Conics
http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/rr/database/rr.09.95/weston1.html https://spacemath.gsfc.nasa.gov/IRAD/IRAD-4.pdf https://www3.ul.ie/~rynnet/swconics/practical_applications1.htm http://www.pleacher.com/mp/mlessons/calculus/apphyper.html https://sciencing.com/importance-hyperbolas-life-8546768.html https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/358056/what-is-the-real-life-use-of-hyperbola https://www.slideshare.net/iramkhan66/applications-of-conic-sections3
Statistics around you
Most students are introduced to Statistics in Grade 7 or Grade 8 and this is how we usually introduce this topic to them. when your father goes to buy tomatoes, he does nothing but data collection
Journey towards Abstraction
There is no shortcut to grasp any abstraction. Each of us need to cover our journey to reach any abstract concept. If I talk about any abstract concept in mathematical context – I will suggest 3 following steps Take concrete examples Make your own stories/drawings based on that abstract concept Keep on repeating point 1 […]
Let’s uncover the hidden beauty of the Subject!
Think of an alien who has never seen the flower rose. One day, that Alien goes to nursery to buy a new plant for his flower garden. The gardener comes and shows him a rose plant. That plant is full of thorns and does […]
Imagination behind Imaginary Numbers
https://www.cut-the-knot.org/arithmetic/algebra/HistoricalRemarks.shtml http://www.math.uri.edu/~merino/spring06/mth562/ShortHistoryComplexNumbers2006.pdf
Lets talk about Math!
Connecting the concepts in our students’ minds. To a secondary school maths student, we teach Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Statistics, Coordinate Geometry… But, very rarely, we tell them what was discovered first, what came next, what was the need/ thought process behind the discovery of altogether a new branch of mathematics. Yes, I mean the timeline of discoveries. […]
Number System
We start learning numbers in base 10 at such a young age that we dont even realise there is anything to understand there. We just accept them and ….. This acceptance works fine until we are just counting objects around us. But, once we start learning addition with regrouping, few children (thinkers) do not […]
Simple Concepts need most attention!
We usually get quite attracted and even trapped into sophisticated things so much that we overlook simple things easily. Students think they need to practice difficult problems to do well in studies. I often find out that it is the simple concepts which are not crystal clear in their minds. I believe , every difficult […]
Computer only understands Yes/No
Introducing Binary system is not an easy exercise at Middle school phase. Children have quite valid concern. They are quite used to and equally comfortable with base 10 number system. This brings lot of resistance in learning as children feel like why are we complicating the things. While introducing Binary number system to children , […]
