What is an algorithm, and why should anyone care?
Learning Math With Manipulatives — The Abacus
The abacus has been around in various forms for over 2300 years. It was used for various counting and operational tasks. One might even call it the original math manipulative (unless you count fingers and stones). In my younger years, abaci were relegated to the bottom shelf or used as a toy for the kinesthetic kids. These days, abaci can meet the same fate that the abaci of my youth did. The first known abacus, the Salamis tablet, collected dust for over 2100 years. For all …
The Invisible Ether and Michelson Morley
Modern scientists adopted the ancient concept of the ether to explain the fundamental nature of the universe. Einstein allegedly dethroned the ether concept with his space time continuum. In spite of this, we might have to revisit the ether concept.
“WE DON’T know what we are talking about” – Nobel Laureate David Gross
Science has reached an enormous impasse. From biology to physics, astronomy to genetics, the scientific community is reaching the limits of understanding which often presage a complete rethinking of long-accepted theories. So characteristic of this new apex of modern arrogance is the inability to comprehend the obvious in physics: That we don’t know what we are talking about.
Galactic Mystery – Matter – On the Dark Side
Scientific inquiry can be described as a sequence of observations leading to a hypothesis which must be tested by experimentation. The results either validate or invalidate the hypothesis which was under test. Unfortunately, the interpretation of the data sometimes does not elucidate some new truth but rather eclipses our thoughts into a new era of ignorance.
Big Bang Booming – Back To The Future
Theoretical cosmologists spend much of their time perfecting what is now known as the ‘Big Bang’ theory. This concept originates from ideas percolating in the minds of scientists, theologians and astronomers down through the ages. However, much of what they consider as proof for the ‘Big Bang’ is dependent upon uncontrolled experimentation that is molded to meet their expectations.
Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. This ancient description of the cr…
Learning Math With Manipulatives – Base Ten Blocks (Part III)
In the first two parts, representing, adding, and subtracting numbers using base ten blocks were explained. The use of base ten blocks gives students an effective tool that they can touch and manipulate to solve math questions. Not only are base ten blocks effective at solving math questions, they teach students important steps and skills that translate directly into paper and pencil methods of solving math questions.
Learning Math With Manipulatives – Base Ten Blocks (Part II)
In part one of this article, you read about representing and adding numbers using base ten blocks. Once these two skills are mastered, it is time to move onto many a child’s nightmare: subtraction. Subtraction, as you may have heard, is essentially addition in reverse. It can be an arduous task on paper, but it can be quite easy with base ten blocks.
Learning Math With Manipulatives – Base Ten Blocks (Part I)
Base ten blocks are an excellent tool for teaching children the concept of addition because they allow children to touch and manipulate something real while learning important skills that translate well into paper and pencil addition. In this article, I will describe base ten blocks and how to use them to represent and add numbers.
Thinking Outside the Books – Homeschool Math Lab Days
There are many ways to “show what you know” – Math Lab Day allows homeschool families to break away from the rut of textbooks and reinforce their booklearning with fun, games and hands-on activities! This article from Homeschooling From the Heart features lots of tips for adding some spice to your homeschooling, including specific activity and game ideas for K – 8th grade.
Adding From Left to Right — A Better Way to Add
More than likely, when you learned how to add, you started on the right and moved to the left. If you were adding whole numbers, you added the ones, “carried” if necessary, and repeated for the tens, hundreds and so on. This works well on paper, and it is the most efficient paper and pencil method; however, adding in the other direction has several desirable advantages: the left to right method promotes a better understanding of place value, it can be done mentally with much greater ease, and it
Can You Draw a Perfect Hexagon?
It may not sound like a difficult task, but constructing hexagons and other polygons can be a frustrating and daunting task for children and adults. A sketch of a square is fairly simple to make as the corners are familiar right angles that most people have no trouble creating. Every other regular polygon from equilateral triangles to dodecagons and beyond can be a challenge without a highly developed ability to recognize and construct a variety of angles. Thankfully, there is a slick technique