Homeschool Math Blog

Three new books in the Blue Series! These books deal with some pre-algebra level topics. Check out their free samples! Math Mammoth Expressions & Equations This is a worktext covering the order of operations, equations, expressions, and simplifying expressions in several different ways in 6th-7th grade level. The main principles are explained and practiced both with visual models and in abstract form, and the lessons contain varying practice problems that approach the concepts from various angles. We also touch on inequalities and graphing on a very introductory level. In order to make the learning of these concepts easier, the expressions and equations in this book do not involve negative numbers (as they typically do when studied in pre-algebra and algebra). Sample pages (PDF) Contents Expressions Writing and simplifying expressions 2: area The distributive property More equations Math Mammoth Rational Numbers In Math Mammoth Rational Numbers w...

I know the following piece is a bit long, but I REALLY hope you will take the time to read and try to understand the thoughts (if you don't know them already). This is one of the areas where YOU can show your students something about mathematics that is FASCINATING, AMAZING, awesome, mind-boggling!!! ... show them that mathematics is NOT just mundane, mind-numbing manipulation of numbers in calculations. This topic is not extra-curricular; it IS taught in pre-algebra / algebra 1 (real numbers), BUT you can explain some parts of it even to 4-6th graders. This sounds really strange. How could there be different kinds or sizes of infinities? I first encountered this idea in my university studies, and I thought it was absolutely FASCINATING! The video below goes through the basics and explains them well, though really fast. I recommend you pause the video at those points where it goes too fast for you, and "rewind" or rewatch those parts. I will explain some of the ...

is 9/56 rational? when converted to a decimal it seems to be never ending and it seems like there's no pattern (at least as far as the calculator shows) Well, relying on a calculator is leading this person astray. Obviously the number is rational - it's a fraction (!); it fits the definition of a rational number. The calculator gives 0.160714286 (to nine decimal digits), but if you use long division and continue it till you get just a few digits more, you get 0.16071428571428..., or 0.160 714285 .