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Presents tools for mastering math word problems, including step-by-step guidance, examples, and problems with explained answers.
Solving word problems has never been easier than with Schaum's How to Solve Word Problems in Algebra! This popular study guide shows students easy ways to solve what they struggle with most in algebra: word problems. How to Solve Word Problems in Algebra, Second Edition, is ideal for anyone who wants to master these skills. Completely updated, with contemporary language and examples, features solution methods that are easy to learn and remember, plus a self-test.
Considered to be the hardest mathematical problems to solve, word problems continue to terrify students across all math disciplines. This new title in the World Problems series demystifies these difficult problems once and for all by showing even the most math-phobic readers simple, step-by-step tips and techniques. How to Solve World Problems in Calculus reviews important concepts in calculus and provides solved problems and step-by-step solutions. Once students have mastered the basic approaches to solving calculus word problems, they will confidently apply these new mathematical principles to even the most challenging advanced problems. Each chapter features an introduction to a problem type, definitions, related theorems, and formulas. Topics range from vital pre-calculus review to traditional calculus first-course content. Sample problems with solutions and a 50-problem chapter are ideal for self-testing. Fully explained examples with step-by-step solutions.
Word problems have been a staple of mathematics instruction for centuries, yet the rationale for their use has remained largely unexamined. A range of findings have shown how students consistently answer them in ways that fail to take account of the reality of the situations described. This monograph reports on studies carried out to investigate this "suspension of sense-making" in answering word problems. In Part One, a wide range of examples documenting the strength of the phenomenon is reviewed. Initial surprise at the findings was replaced by a conviction that the explanation lies in the culture of the mathematics classroom, specifically the rules implicitly governing the nature and interpretation of the word problem genre. This theoretical shift is reflected in Part Two. A detailed analysis of the way in which word problems are currently taught in typical mathematical classrooms is followed by reviews of design experiments illustrating how, by immersing students in a fundamentally changed learning environment, they can acquire what the authors consider to be more appropriate conceptions about, and strategies for doing, word problems. Part Three turns to a wider discussion of theoretical issues, a further analysis of the features of the educational system considered responsible for outcomes detrimental to many students' understanding and conception of mathematics, and suggestions for rethinking the role of word problems within the curriculum.
Get ready to master the unknown number! Master Math: Solving Word Problems is a comprehensive reference guide that explains and clarifies the difficulties people often face with word problems, in a simple, easy-to-follow style and format. Beginning with the most basic types of word problems and progressing through to the more advanced, Solving Word Problems shows you how to focus first on the words in the problem, and then on the numbers, breaking down the problem into smaller segments to help you work through. Using familiar situations from everyday life such as percents and discounts, interest, motion and speed, and probability, each type of word problem is taught using step-by-step procedures, solutions, and examples. And end-of-chapter problems will help you practice what you learned. A complete table of contents and a comprehensive index enable you to quickly find specific topics, and the approachable style and format facilitate an understanding of what can be intimidating and tricky skills. Perfect for both students who need some extra help or rusty professionals who want to brush up, Solving Word Problems will help you master everything from simple equations and percents to statistics and probability!
This book contributes to the field of mathematical problem solving by exploring current themes, trends and research perspectives. It does so by addressing five broad and related dimensions: problem solving heuristics, problem solving and technology, inquiry and problem posing in mathematics education, assessment of and through problem solving, and the problem solving environment. Mathematical problem solving has long been recognized as an important aspect of mathematics, teaching mathematics, and learning mathematics. It has influenced mathematics curricula around the world, with calls for the teaching of problem solving as well as the teaching of mathematics through problem solving. And as such, it has been of interest to mathematics education researchers for as long as the field has existed. Research in this area has generally aimed at understanding and relating the processes involved in solving problems to students’ development of mathematical knowledge and problem solving skills. The accumulated knowledge and field developments have included conceptual frameworks for characterizing learners’ success in problem solving activities, cognitive, metacognitive, social and affective analysis, curriculum proposals, and ways to promote problem solving approaches.
This book is an amazing resource for teachers who are struggling to help students develop both procedural fluency and conceptual understanding.. --Dr. Margaret (Peg) Smith, co-author of5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematical Discussions Robert Kaplinsky, the co-creator of Open Middle math problems, brings hisnew class of tasks designed to stimulate deeper thinking and lively discussion among middle and high school students in Open Middle Math: Problems That Unlock Student Thinking, Grades 6-12. The problems are characterized by a closed beginning,- meaning all students start with the same initial problem, and a closed end,- meaning there is only one correct or optimal answer. The key is that the middle is open- in the sense that there are multiple ways to approach and ultimately solve the problem. These tasks have proven enormously popular with teachers looking to assess and deepen student understanding, build student stamina, and energize their classrooms. Professional Learning Resource for Teachers: Open Middle Math is an indispensable resource for educators interested in teaching student-centered mathematics in middle and high schools consistent with the national and state standards. Sample Problems at Each Grade: The book demonstrates the Open Middle concept with sample problems ranging from dividing fractions at 6th grade to algebra, trigonometry, and calculus. Teaching Tips for Student-Centered Math Classrooms: Kaplinsky shares guidance on choosing problems, designing your own math problems, and teaching for multiple purposes, including formative assessment, identifying misconceptions, procedural fluency, and conceptual understanding. Adaptable and Accessible Math: The tasks can be solved using various strategies at different levels of sophistication, which means all students can access the problems and participate in the conversation. Open Middle Math will help math teachers transform the 6th -12th grade classroom into an environment focused on problem solving, student dialogue, and critical thinking.
