Open vs. closed math problems

As you are gearing toward the new year, I want you to watch this short video by Jo Boaler. Seriously. Take a few minutes. It's not long, and I think you will be glad you did!


Jo mentioned the simple task of finding the perimeter of a rectangle when its sides are given, and changing that into a problem where students are asked to give two different rectangles with a given perimeter.

That is changing the task from a "closed" format, or a simple performance task, into an "open" format and into a LEARNING/GROWING type of task. It essentially means that now the problem has many possible answers, instead of just one. And it was a very simple change that did it!

Then... read my article From CLOSED math problems (with one answer) to OPEN ones

After reading... can you find a closed problem you can change and "open up"? Share it!

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