Squares to Stairs 9/5/16 - 9/12/16 |
The purpose of this weeks activities was to change the way we thought about math, and the confidence we had about approaching math.
The first activity we did, was the 11 by 13 rectangle. We had to figure out the least amount of squares we could fit into the rectangle, and write an equation about it. The second activity was Squares to Stairs, and the third was Hailstone Sequence. For the Hailstone Sequence, we had to start at a number and divide it by 2 until we got to 1. If we happened upon an uneven number, we multiplied the uneven number by 3 and added 1. The last activity was Painted Cube, and we just filled out a T-chart listing how many sugar cubes had a certain number of sides painted. This week, we watched inspirational videos and dove into the way the brain processes math. As a class, we learned that no one is a "math person." People aren't just born with brains that can and cannot do math. We also learned that when the brain makes a mistake a synapse fires, and you learn. So it's important to challenge yourself, because that is when you learn the most. When we were working on this problem, we were given relatively small numbers to work with, so as an extension, I will use the same formula with a much bigger number. I chose to exhibit this problem, above the others, because the way the formula worked every time fascinated me. When we were solving this problem in class, I started counting the squares. I would see how many squares were in a 10x10 formation, then multiply or divide according to the number I was trying to get to. It wasn't until we were sharing with our table mates, and Carter was talking about trying to find an equation that I realized that my way was faulty. Then I had a brain baby! I found the equation, and tested it out with many numbers. A challenge I had when trying to solve this problem, was my attitude towards the problem itself. When it comes to math, my self confidence is |
minuscule. It was hard to will myself to even try solving the problem, however when I started working and solving I got into it and found the answer. One habit of a mathematician I used, was visualizing. I drew pictures, and made analogies with the way I looked at the problem unfolding.
x(x)+x
2
102938(102938)+102938 =
2
10596334782 =
2
5298167391 squares inside a stair formation with 102938 going both horizontally and vertically
This week I worked incredibly hard, and I thought I did pretty well at solving math problems and thinking like a mathematician. This weeks activities and videos really helped me get an idea about the amount of effort I need to put into math class as the semester goes on.
x(x)+x
2
102938(102938)+102938 =
2
10596334782 =
2
5298167391 squares inside a stair formation with 102938 going both horizontally and vertically
This week I worked incredibly hard, and I thought I did pretty well at solving math problems and thinking like a mathematician. This weeks activities and videos really helped me get an idea about the amount of effort I need to put into math class as the semester goes on.