August/September 2014 Newsflash: Math Matters

We hope you had a great summer! A new school year is here once again, and it’s time to get excited about possibilities that lie ahead. As you and your child navigate the back to school scramble, here are some tips to help you make the most of opportunities this time of year, whether your child’s starting the year far behind grade level in math or already ahead.

• Gear up for a running start. With things at school just getting started, now is the perfect time to come up with solutions to ensure your child stays ahead of the game. If you’re looking for an after school activity that’s fun, empowering, and guaranteed to get your child’s math muscles flexing, we can think of no better place than right here at Mathnasium. We help kids reach their potential in math by teaching in a way that makes sense to them. Register for the fall now to secure your spot, start the year strong, and soar to new heights in math!

•  Get organized! We’re talking study schedules that fit in with the daily routine, a clean and neat workspace at home free of clutter and distractions, a calendar to keep track of upcoming tests and homework deadlines, and more. Sit with your child and together, come up with structured solutions that work with his or her learning style and schedule.

•  Stay on top of what’s going on at school. Meet with your child’s math teacher to discuss goals for the school year and familiarize yourself with the curriculum. The teacher can also provide some insight on your child’s attitude and performance in class—valuable information that will help you support your child.

We hope you’ll find these pointers useful as you gear up for an exciting year ahead. Wishing you a math-tastic school year!

Back to School Refresher

Did you know your student could lose anywhere from two to two and a half months worth of math knowledge over the summer months? By enrolling your student at Mathnasium now, they can move ahead in their class and continue to learn new things.

Refresh their (and your) knowledge with key terms from the Mathnasium Glossary below.

addition counting “how many altogether.” The process of forming a whole.

complement “the rest of it.” the remaining part with respect to the whole.

counting the process of determining quantity (how many, how much).
denomination the collective name of a group of similar things (apples, dogs, inches).

division counting “how many of these are there inside of that.” The process of separating a whole into equal parts.

fraction the result of breaking a whole into equal parts; one or more of those equal

group one or more of the same thing (1 apple, 9 dogs, 5 inches, 8 things).

half the first fraction. A whole divided into two equal parts; one of those parts. “Two parts the same.”

interval the distance from one number (or unit) to another. The space between two numbers.

Law of SAMEness It is only possible to add and subtract things of the same kind, things with the same name, the same denomination (an apple plus a banana is not a “banapples”).

mathematics the study of wholes and parts, and the relationship between them.

matrix literally, “mother.” That which gives form, origin, or foundation to something enclosed or embedded in it. A place of origin and growth. Related words include environment, framework, womb, structure, model; enclosed, enveloping, surrounding.

measurement the determining of quantity.

multiplication counting “in equal groups.” The process of forming a whole from equal groups.

part a component of the whole. A fragment, fraction, section, portion, region; a piece broken off.

percent literally, “for each 100,” “parts per hundred,” “how many for each hundred.”

proportion literally, “according to amount.” The relation of one part to another or to the whole; relative size. Comparison, analogy, balance, symmetry.

ratio a comparsion of two numbers by division.

subtraction counting “how far apart two numbers are” and “how much is left.” The process of removing a part(s) from a whole.

whole undivided. The one composed of the many. That which can be broken–down into parts. All of the quantity under consideration.

zero the number that counts none. That which has no parts.   

- Larry Martinek

Back to School Checklist

Imagine this scenario.

One day a student arrives at the college or university of his choice for the first time as a freshman. He is so excited to start his new adventure as a college student, inevitably facing new challenges and meeting new people. Knowing that things would not come easy, but ready for all that was ahead of him, this student is confronted with the Mathematics Placement Exam to see what level of college math the student is qualified to take.

The results of the exam make it clear that the student is nowhere near ready for the course that will help him achieve college credit, an unfortunate situation that occurs far too often with incoming college freshman. Before taking the math course of his choice, he will have to revisit previous math concepts by taking a non–credit course, delaying his progress toward college graduation.

This is not an uncommon situation. Nor is it a situation without a solution, as we will see in a minute.  This is a reality that many students go through when entering college, causing them to give up on potential careers in fields that relate to math. We want to stop this from happening early on! The problem can be fixed in grade school.

With that in mind, I have created a Back to School Checklist consisting of three simple questions:

1. Are your child’s math skills ready for the coming school year?
2. Is your child being placed in the right math class?
3. Do you have resources identified in case your child needs extra help with math?

To properly gauge your child’s math capabilities, ask them the appropriate question for the corresponding grade-level they just finished:

• Second Grade: Can you efficiently compute 7+8+9-10?
• Third Grade: How much is 99+99+99? This should be done mentally!
• Fourth Grade: Count from 0 to 7 by 1 3/4?
• Fifth Grade: Which is greater: 9/10 or 18/19? Explain.
• Sixth Grade: Half way through the second quarter, how much of the game is left?
• Seventh Grade: How much is 6 1/2 % of 250? Explain.
• Pre-Algebra: On a certain map, 6 inches represent 25 miles. How many miles does 15 inches represent? Explain.
• Algebra: Solve 4x+3=0. This should be done mentally!

Make sure these questions are solved as efficiently as possible because if the appropriate measures are taken, higher grades will only be the beginning of your child’s math experience. Your child will have an improved attitude towards math, they will be better prepared for future math classes, and they will be prepared for college level work when the time comes.

And from college… Who knows where math can take your child?