1510 Post #5: Fractions every way

I tried to think of the first time I was introduced to fractions. I'm sure it was either at a shoe store with half sizes or maybe being a half year older when relatives asked my age. In any case, it was definitely not in the first grade. However, today students are being introduced to it no later than third grade according to state standards. While fractions may seem very daunting to many, it is just a matter of learning the rules and cognitively thinking about why it is what it is.

Recently an assignment called for me to add, subtract, multiply, divide, rewrite, find the difference, simplify, find the multiplicative inverse, or the reciprocal of many fractions. I was pleased to see that the process was a series of steps that when followed in order and properly would constantly yield correct results. The clip below provides a very clear cut explanation for multiplying fractions.



As it is with other subject matter and in life, figuring out how to work with fractions is just something that takes practice. It may also require a fresh view of the idea that has been presented numerous times. Teachers need to be aware of the potential fears that are rooted in fractions with their students. Finding video clips of other explanations, searching the web for lesson plan ideas, and identifying the learning styles of students are just a few things educators can do to ensure success with fractions no matter what way they need to be changed. Fraction games that are available online are also a good way to keep the learning going after the material has been presented.

1512 Post #3: What are the odds?

Probability is the number idea representation of a chance. This could pertain to horse racing, dice rolling, and lottery games amongst other things that do not represent money. I most often correlate probability with gambling because that was how I was raised. "I bet you your dish duty next week that dad pushes his glasses up 4 times during dinner." Of course the other person was allowed to pick the higher or lower end of the spectrum and if the number was not right on or in the direction that was bet on, it was a push and we found something else to wager on. If I would have known more about odds at that time, I would not have these dish pan hands.

In high school we started to learn about probability and I just could not grasp the concept. It was very frustrating for me as a student to understand the idea and not be able to execute it correctly. I was a little anxious to start up again with probability as my track record with it has not been the best. I took the advice of a few classmates and decided to look up the content on youtube. I thought that if I could get a few differing perspectives on the matter, I might be able to see where I went wrong in the past.



This particular video is best for explaining probability to a crowd more advanced than a first grade classroom. The great thing about having the internet and sites like youtube is that you can find so many different ways to portray the same idea. A video that is more suited for a younger crowd of math learners is below.



I think that just learning in a way where I could pause, rewind, and work along with at my own pace has been very helpful to me. I feel like I can now stomp around probability and maybe even pick a winning horse. I think I'll even take a piece of the action the next time I have dinner with my sister and father.