This "trick" is a blessing and a curse. Almost every student I know uses it for their nine times tables but I'm yet to meet a student (or teacher) that can explain why/how it works. Were they able to identify the pattern and why it works?
Check out this link Simon and blow their minds. http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/roots-of-unity/2013/11/13/multiply-by-seven-fingers-simpsons/
Thanks for visiting Graham, and also for sharing the article. I agree, it's a great thing to get behind this finger pattern and make links that help us to understand what's really going on. I also think that working in different bases is a great thing. (Today we were counting in nines in mod 60 coincidentally!)
This "trick" is a blessing and a curse. Almost every student I know uses it for their nine times tables but I'm yet to meet a student (or teacher) that can explain why/how it works. Were they able to identify the pattern and why it works?
ReplyDeleteCheck out this link Simon and blow their minds. http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/roots-of-unity/2013/11/13/multiply-by-seven-fingers-simpsons/
All the best!
Graham
Thanks for visiting Graham, and also for sharing the article. I agree, it's a great thing to get behind this finger pattern and make links that help us to understand what's really going on. I also think that working in different bases is a great thing. (Today we were counting in nines in mod 60 coincidentally!)
ReplyDelete