Rosy Maths<p>Today I tutored the child of a friend for a while. We worked with what I would call a "function machine" - basically a diagram that goes<br>Input ➡️operation 1➡️operation 2 ➡️output.</p><p>We played as a game - I made one for him to solve (forwards and backwards), and then he made one for me. </p><p>From just this one exercise, we discussed inverse operations*, fractions, the commutativity** of addition and of multiplication, and how to go to work on a problem that feels tricky. </p><p>Now when we discuss algebra, equations and functions, he will have some concrete experience reversing operations. Hopefully, he will not have to learn another disconnected set of rules, because we can diagram what we are doing and he can link the new, more abstract concepts to a "maths game" with simple and logical procedures. </p><p>There is SO MUCH mathematics in "simple" arithmetic. 1/n</p><p><a href="https://mathstodon.xyz/tags/teaching" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>teaching</span></a> <a href="https://mathstodon.xyz/tags/ConceptualScaffolding" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ConceptualScaffolding</span></a></p><p>*Inverse operations are just the ones that reverse each other e.g. + and -, × and ÷. <br>**Commutative operations can be done in different orders e.g. 5+7 is equal to 7+5.</p>