Math Update

We're well into our 2nd Math Unit, and have explored a number of topics:

1. Uses of Numbers and Organizing Data: 

Numbers have many uses and we explored some of them within the context of the "World Tour" we're taking. We traveled from New York to Washington D.C. where we found these examples of Numbers:

Numbers are used to COUNT: there are 132 rooms in the White House!
Numbers are used to MEASURE: the cast iron dome on he capital building weighs 9 million pounds!
Numbers are used as a REFERENCE SYSTEM: the average high temperature in October is 68* Fahrenheit.

Numbers are used to COMPARE: D.C's population of 600,000 is greater than the population of the sate of Wyoming!
Numbers are used to IDENTIFY and CODE: the Lincoln Memorial is located at C-1 on our maps!

2. Many Names for Numbers:

We explored the meaning of "equivalent names" for numbers and know that in Math, we can use a combination of digits and operations to reach the same number. For example 24/4, 12/2, 2x3, 4+5-3 are all names for 6!

3. Place Value with Whole Numbers:

In our base-ten system of numbers we use the digits 1-9 as our counting numbers, and 0-9 as our "whole numbers". We have an infinite amount of variations because the VALUE changes based on its PLACE. When we put 2 in the tens place, and put 2 in the hundred thousands place, they mean very different things... We also worked on grouping the numbers correctly, and reading a large number by naming each group on it's own (reading 567,382,101 as five hundred sixty-seven million, three hundred eighty-two thousand, one hundred one.

4. Place Value Using a Calculator

We paid great attention to the transition of digits when counting up or down on a calculator. For example, if we were asked to count DOWN by 1,000s beginning with 834,985 - we paid close attention to what operation we were doing (subtracting), and which digits were changing. Then, we exercised changing only a SPECIFIC digit in a specific column (for example, in the hundred thousands place only) for a particular replacement digit. We had to figure out which operation to use, and what we had to add or subtract in order to get the desired number.

We have covered many topics so far; to get a good idea of what we are covering each day, I encourage you to look over your child's homework which directly corresponds to what we are learning:-)