Maths
Multiplication short-cut
Sometimes it’s faster during examinations if we could do complicated multiplication mentally. Here’s one short-cut. How to multiply double-digit numbers by 11. Example: MULTIPLY 45 x 11. Step 1: The answer will start with 4 and end with 5. So it’s 4__5 Step 2: Find out what’s in the blank by adding 4+5=9 Step 3:[…]
Fractions
You can use circles cut into segments to help understand fractions. Here I’ve also used a dodecagon (12-sided polygon). I cut them into two (halves), four (quarters), eight (eights) and so on, and used them to demonstrate addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of fractions for the last session.
Maths Tricks
Looking to impress your relatives this Chinese New Year? Here are a couple of Maths tricks that you can showcase in front of your cousins! Trick 1: 1. Get them to think of a 3-digit number. 2. Multiply it by 7, 11 and 13 and hey presto, you get twice that number. For example: 1.[…]
Divisible by 7
How do we know if a number is divisible by 7 without a calculator? Easy. Follow these steps: 1. Take the last digit of the number you’re testing and double it. 2. Subtract this number from the rest of the digits in the original number. -If this new number is either 0 or if it’s[…]
Finding Love Via Maths
Have you ever complained about doing Maths homework, saying you will never use it when you grow up anyway? Well, you are wrong. Someone used Maths to find love. True story. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2014/01/how-to-hack-okcupid/
Real Life Example of Estimation
Was at the supermarket buying mama dishwashing liquid. Mega value 2x 1litre bottles going for $7.10 versus one 600ml plastic refill for $1.60. Which is better value? 4 packets of the refill would be 2.4litres which is more than the 2 bottles. Yet it would cost only $6.40. So it is definitely better value.
Our Maths Classes
Reality check: I have failed Maths before during my ‘A’ levels. Several times. In the end- I still aced my Maths subjects, including getting a distinction for the ‘S’ paper. Maths is about understanding and practice. And enjoying the subject. So often I hear students say, “Aiya I don’t know why I am doing this,[…]
Maths Life Examples
Parents can continuously relate Maths to real-life activities. For example: – estimating the price of a shopping cart the next time you go to the supermarket. – comparing prices of detergent or milk powder with different quantities, which will involve calculating price per litre or kg. – get them involved with mental sums that you[…]
Bala’s age
This question is quite interesting. How many ways are there to solve it? “When Kok Hwa’s age was twice Bala’s age, Mike’s age was 30. When Mike’s age was twice Kok Hwa’s age, Bala’s age was 21. Given that Mike was the oldest among the three persons, find Bala’s age when Mike was 62 years[…]