November 2009
News
BEST Tutoring is going Live this month with 24/7 online Homework Help. Just send an email to Math247@BESTtutoringLive.com.
November 13 – Trivia Night to benefit ABLE in St. Charles County
November 25/26/27 – Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday
November 29, 2pm – 4pm – Makeup Session from Thanksgiving Holiday
Writing Eight Exercise – By Diane Craft
A large 8, laying on its side, is drawn on a large piece of paper. A long, vertical line is drawn down the middle of the writing eight. Mark the left side of the paper as side 1, and the right side as side 2. Place an arrow going up towards side one. Draw a place for the student’s non-writing hand at the bottom of the middle line. Place a dot, or “parking place” in the middle of the vertical line. The student positions himself so that he sits right in the middle of the paper, by the vertical line. He traces the eight, always going up the middle and counterclockwise (towards side 1) for three complete circuits. He then superimposes the letters of the alphabet (lower case) on the proper side of the eight, saying the name of the letter out loud as he makes it. The letter is made just as large as the circles on the paper. In between each letter he makes he will make three full circuits of the eight before doing the next letter. Continue until the entire alphabet is done. The paper should look messy.
In this exercise, the left brain is stimulated by writing the letters, while the right brain is stimulated by going around the track. By superimposing the letters directly upon the eight, the left and right brain hemispheres learn to communicate more effectively, removing writing blocks that may have been there for years. Remember: The student goes three times around the track between each letter. The letter is made only once.
As the student begins this exercise, you may find that he might have trouble keeping his body lined up in the middle, and keeping his non-writing hand on the paper. Put your hand on his hand to remind him to keep it in place, if necessary. Keep a copy of the alphabet letters in front of the student for as long as he needs them. To effectively rehabilitate the visual/motor system, you must do the exercise four times a week for 6 months at least. The rewards of an open writing gate are great! The child’s thoughts will flow so much more easily when writing!
For tips and a video, please visit http://lifeattheevans.blogspot.com/2009/05/writing-eight-exercise.html
Tips & Techniques: Mental Math: Division
Many times, mental math is a better way to solve math problems than using an algorithm. Here are two approaches to division using mental math.
Example 1: 75/6
6 is the same is 2 x 3, so instead of dividing by 6, we can divide 75 by 3 and then divide that quotient by 2. So, 75/3 = 25, and 25/2 = 12 ½. Done!
Try these:
1) 99/6 = ______________
2) 75/15 = _____________
3) 150/12 = ____________
4) 430/20 = ____________
Example 2: 200/15
Another way to look at division is to ask yourself, “How man of these are inside of that?” For 200/25, ask yourself how many 25s are there inside of 100. There are 4 25s in 100, so inside of 200 there must be twice as any; 8. So, 200/25 = 8.
Try these:
1) 300/25 = ___________
2) 90/15 = ____________
3) 1000/125 = _________
4) 6/1 ½ = ____________
Math Matters
It is hard at first to imagine a strip of paper with only one side and only one edge, but in 1858, mathematicians discovered the Möbius strip. The Möbius strip has the interesting mathematical property of being non-orientable – unlike most surfaces we see in daily life, it has just one side! It is not possible to paint it with two colors, and an ant walking along it could go indefinitely without every coming to an edge.
To help imagine a Möbius strip, make a model at home. Take a long strip of paper, form a half-twist by turning one end over, then glue the ends together. Now start drawing a line down the center of your strip. When your line is as long as the strip, there is still blank paper in front of you! When you get back to your starting point, your line is twice as long. You drew on what we normally think of as “both sides” of the paper, but you never met an edge. This is because there is only one side! Now try other experiments like marking along the edge or cutting along your first line – you will get interesting results!
The Möbius strip was interesting to mathematicians (and magicians) in the 1800’s and has practical applications today. It has been used for long-lasting conveyor belts (that wear evenly because there is only one side), and for recording tape with twice the play time! In mathematics, the Möbius strip is of interest in the fields of geometry and topology.
Student of the Month
T. J. Klosterhoff is making great progress through Algebra II, since he’s been coming to BEST Tutoring!
