WE have all learned that
But perhaps WE haven't thought about how to use this to do fast mental calculations! See if you can guess how this trick can help you do the following in your head:
Let's do the first one.
43 x 37 = (40 + 3)(40 - 3) = 402 - 32 = 1600 - 9 = 1591.
Practice these, and you'll be able to impress your friends!
WE got all the answers CORRECTLY without using the calculator! Impressive!
Hint: Begin with the BIG number!
Happy trying! (^_^)
Hey guys, we’d like to share some secret… It’s about how this mathematical formula can help YOU to achieve the EXCELLENCE in life. Don’t believe us huh? Read the post below.
Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these questions:
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.
If:
H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K
8+1+18+4+23+ 15+18+11 = 98%
And:
K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E
11+1 4+15+23+ 12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96%
But:
A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E
1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100%
THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:
L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101% (yeay!!!)
~Courtesy of~ (click on the link below)
http://belocura.blogspot.com/2008/03/wonders-of-mathematics.html
Now, believe US? Hehehehehe…. (^_^)
The answer to the above question, as according to the article, is YES! The Sedighian researchers have done a two-year study on almost 50 Grade 5 & 6 students through methods like visitations, observations, discussions, taped interviews and even a ‘surprise’ test to check the students’ grasp of the concepts learnt through computer games; and this research is sufficient in showing that educational computer games are effective in children’s learning of mathematics!
There are 8 elements in these computer games which, they believe, could motivate children to learn and satisfy their need in learning. First and foremost, children learn in a meaningful context. Children do not have to do pages of sum without knowing their relations to real life context. I think this is really important because it does not apply to mathematics alone, but all the other subjects when it comes to teaching young children!
Secondly, educational computer games create a sense of mission in the children. To win, they have to solve mathematical problems. I think this is closely related to the 4th element which is challenge. We are all easily motivated by challenges, especially those which we feel we can do but require a bit of effort. The same thing goes to children. Too-easy tasks could cause boredom while too-difficult ones may cause them to lose all interest. This is in line with Stephen Krashen’s (1982) Input Hypothesis which states that children learn best when the input is “i + 1” where “i” is the current level while “1” is a level higher than the current level. This will give children a sense of mission and some challenges!
Thirdly, it is the sense of achievement. This, as we all know, motivates children. When they know they can accomplish a level, they have more confidence in facing the next level. That is also why the games or input must be an “i + 1” and not “i + 2” or any higher level.
Fourth, the children said that they enjoyed the challenges given by ST. The challenges given would be just a level above their current competency, and through them the children would not feel bored. Therefore, they can en
Fifth, children using ST also felt that they were able to interact with the lesson more rather than just reading them from textbook. ST provides interactivity where children were able to manipulate the mathematical representations in the game. This makes the experience of learning mathematics more real.
Besides that, ST also provides an avenue for children to communicate about what they know of the subject. In a formal situation, children feel shy and embarrassed, perhaps out of fear that they will make mistakes. By using ST, children can use ST to express what they know about the subject and their peers can understand what they say more easily.
Sixth, through games, children can easily associate mathematics with pleasure rather than boredom. Through pleasure also, pupils’ affective filter can be decreased and their absorption of knowledge will be easier.
Seventh, ST attracted children, even those who were weak in mathematics to actually play the game and learn from it. CBMGs actually provide an environment where children are attracted towards the games and eventually receive the embedded instructions in the game.
Lastly, games that provide sensory stimuli are able to attract children to play them more. This corresponds to children’s cognitive growth where they need concrete examples and activities that are able to fulfill their different learning styles. So, although games are provided, they should have multiple sensory stimuli that can attract children to play them.
As a conclusion, motivating and fun activities should be core activities in the classroom. Children nowadays have progressed far beyond using text books to acquire knowledge and they need teaching methods that corresponds to the current era and technological advancement that they encounter every day.
Basically, this article proposes the use of a model of multimedia mathematics learning environments, focusing on the dynamics between challenge and learning which aims at helping the children to learn mathematics in a fun and enjoyable way. Thus, electronic games has been found out to have the ability to offer the children with a feeling of control, making them curious, providing them with both intrinsic and extrinsic fantasies as well as challenging them.
Despite the advantages of using games in teaching mathematics, one heavy challenge is to produce “a sustainable, intrinsically motivating activity” by keeping the ratio between "a person’s capabilities and encountered challenge within a range which results in neither boredom and lack of fun nor worry and anxiety”. In this article it states that, “when the challenge is greater than one’s capabilities, one experiences worry and frustration; when one’s skill is greater than the challenge, one experiences boredom.” Yet, this is true and it does happen among the children. If the challenge in the game they play is greater than his ability, children will be more likely to be de-motivated and at last refuse to learn Mathematics anymore. Children are vulnerable to the feeling of failure. Hence it is crucial to adjust the challenge level just a step beyond their current level of competence. As proposed by Krashen in his Input hypothesis “If an acquirer is at stage or level i, the input she or he understands should contain i+1” (Spada, 2006) In this case, the challenge should neither be so far beyond their level of ability, let say i+2, or i+3, nor so near to their level of competence that is not challenging at all, i+0. One should acknowledge and understand the importance of the challenge as a stimulus for the children to make progress. Thus, by taking into consideration this hypothesis proposed by Krashen, it might give some insights on how to overcome the problem mentioned.
Other than that, this article also highlights the role of reflective learning to help the children learn the concepts of mathematics in a more meaningful way. We believe mistakes are the greatest teacher of all. Making mistakes are the signs of learning and thus, it is essential for teachers to allow the children to make mistakes in learning process. As they are making mistakes they are actively building understanding of the new knowledge that they are learning and at the same time reflecting possible solutions or alternatives on how to improve their learning.
Two modules have been presented namely “the game module” which is intended to provide a motivating environment for children to indulge in mathematical activity, and a context in which children “experience the enjoyment of goal-directed action” and “the instructional module” which is intended to allow children to increase their mathematical knowledge. Instructional module has been made as an on-demand module due to the fact that “most children do not like to learn mathematics unless it satisfies a need." Hence, “in order to satisfy the need of accomplishing the goals of the game, children have to meet the challenges presented to them. To meet these challenges they have to learn the mathematical concepts that are embedded in the game activity.” Thus, it is designed in such a way to be “closely linked to the goals of the game and allow children to construct the knowledge required to move through the game.”
Therefore to implement the model, a computer-based mathematics learning environment called Super Tangrams has been presented which “aimed at helping middle-school children learn two-dimensional transformation geometry. It is designed to take children from no knowledge of transformations to a fairly sophisticated understanding of the subject for this age group.” The result from the application of this model is positive as children manage to learn Mathematics in a very enjoyable way.
As a conclusion, we believe that, a challenge-driven learning through the use of children’s multimedia mathematics learning environments is crucial to heighten the process of learning.
