Unlike Terms don't play well together After learning distributive multiplication new terms are created that aren't alike. Unfortunately they do not mix, so it is important to keep the like terms together. What makes a like term and how do I collect them to "Simplify" my equations students ask. LIKE TERM - same variable to identical exponent, only the coefficient and sign can be different. This is best explained with a few examples below. "SIMPLIFY seems to be a catch all in m

Carrot for cutting into Conics Conics with Carrots is a funny association, but I believe being part of the experiment opposed to the observer is far more memorable when learning. My first step is to shape two carrots into similiar cones so they can be sliced to reveal the conics: parabola, circle, ellipse, and hyperbola. Below is a short video demonstrating the four slices required.

While I'm developing this site, I'm conflicted as I believe teaching and learning is best in person. Students since the pandemic have echoed this sentiment. If using technology with this site the "Smart"phone is not the way to go. My students are who convinced me to create this site, so I will end this post with a bit of advice for techology. I do practice what I preach. My students hear from me that if I expect them to write something down or try a problem, then I should as

Not until the end of my first year university did I realize how conventions in math work if explained. Too often we accept or worse yet assume conventions, either way this seriously impedes learning. From my experience not one student could explain this to me just as I couldn't in high school. a,b,c ………………….……m/n………..………x,y,z Constants & Coefficients // Variables The first half of the alphabet is generally used for constants and coefficients while the last

UNDER CONSTRUCTION - COME BACK SOON Understanding a definition often prevents you from memorizing (a wasteful use of your intelligence). Examples of two terms I like to use to illustrate this is Commutative and Distributive in the mathematical sense. Commutative = to commute or switch places while not changing the value. A * B = B* A Check 2 * 3 = 3 * 2 6 = 6 Distributive = To give each item/term the same amount. a ( b + c) =

As the old saying goes pictures are worth a thousand words. The best part of a picture is it tells you a story and jogs your memory of an idea. Have you ever stopped to consider how you can check something you memorized. Much of math can be illustrated into a graph, shape, or be given an analogy to a tangible item. When I'm attempting to teach an idea use of pictures and/or stories are quickly injected often garnering humour. Students please put memorizing aside and learn thr

Think of the equation as an onion to isolate any term that is in the center of it. Math is equitable it won't let you cheat, if you try you will FAIL! Whatever you do to one side of an equation you MUST do the exact same operation to the otherside. As kids we learned how to count picking up our toys, then in grade one we started to add them. Grade two was not as much fun since we had to share and learned to subtract. Grade three multiplication was "taught" followed by divisio

Believe it or not one of my students was trying to explain how to use a flowchart to isolate for a term. Ironically they were asking me how this system worked. I was dumbfounded! If you do understand this method there is little opportunity to see if you made a mistake or understand what you are doing to the equation. This is a “New Trend” that has frustrated and confused students from my experience. Below I will demonstrate how this “works” for a simple equation and then demo