[video=youtube_share;g2QGiGqz-xs]http://youtu.be/g2QGiGqz-xs

 

And it takes less than a minute to solve it.

Then again, this difficult problem can be broken down into yet an even more simple form:

 

[video=youtube_share;S1RULBKXGRU]http://youtu.be/S1RULBKXGRU

what a joke. This does nothing to promote critical thinking. Explaining why is going to be great when these kids grow up and assume all of this national debt...

Yea, this is pretty stupid.

 

So if 10 is the "Anchor" then how do they explain how you show what 3+5 equals?

What happened to counting on your fingers?

Yea, this is pretty stupid.

 

So if 10 is the "Anchor" then how do they explain how you show what 3+5 equals?

 

You take one from 5 and make them both four....they're called doubles (4+4).

I still don't see how this makes it easier

What happened to counting on your fingers?

Ten fingers. Higher than that and you need that base 10 anchor.

 

You take one from 5 and make them both four....they're called doubles (4+4).

Or you figure that kids have the 1-10 addition/subtraction facts memorized.

My daughter was working on her homework in the past and asked me, why do I have to learn all these different ways when I already know how to do it?

As someone who has a math related learning difference, this just makes things more complicated.

What happened to counting on your fingers?

 

That method was abandoned when several of us had to count to 21 in public.

Or in some cases, 20 1/2

When I was in 1st grade or so, we were taught to hold the 9 in our heads, and then count off the other 6 on our fingers (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15). It took about 3 seconds.

I still don't see how this makes it easier

 

I don't think easier is the purpose. It's designed to promote better understanding of numbers, their relationships, and more critical thinking and reasoning, which down the road come into play in higher levels of math. Some of these methods are taught in countries which are now outperforming the US educational. The old method focused basically on memorization and wasn't really about how numbers work. The fact that the old method is so ingrained in our heads is what makes it difficult for us to understand and adapt to common core. The easy way isn't always the best way.

If that is the end result, and these kids enter middle and high school with a better grasp on numbers; and if that translates into them being better high school math and science students, then I am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. Better high school math and science scores will boost their college entrance chances and we need that.

 

I know we see some isolated examples that seem ridiculous to us, but you are right, we were taught a lot of memorization and not a lot about how numbers work together. Something needs to change and I don't know if the answer is going back to the old ways, or moving towards these new methods. Looking back 20-25 years, students could do basic math in their heads. Even if *gasp* the cash register wasn't working, they could transact business and make correct change and give a 20% discount if need be. I don't see that now a whole lot.