Monday, May 11, 2015

"Rich" Math Problems

I got the best compliment ever last week: "That math problem was really fun! That was the best day in math so far this year!"

It was this problem from Robert Kaplinsky: "How Much Money IS That?!"


I put the pertinent information (photos, link to the video, questions to ask) into Google Slides, and printed the above picture for individuals and small groups to mark up. (We did the Coinstar problem the day before.)

I wish you could have been there when I started the slide show with the above picture! Excited conversation ERUPTED all around the classroom! Questions, predictions, estimates, scenarios...leave it to money to get kids excited to solve a problem!

We worked on this problem over the course of two days, and our final answer was in the ballpark of the actual amount, but not at all spot-on. That's okay. We had already determined that we were not going to be able to aim for precision with this problem.

This week, I'm going to try some of the problems from Inside Mathematics. I like how they come tiered with different levels on the same theme.

Happy Problem Solving, and Happy Math Monday!


It's Math Monday! 
for the Math Monday link up!


2 comments:

  1. I love the work you are doing here in math, ML. Very deep thinking. Have you seen the Estimation180 website? There are all sorts of visual thinking prompts there, too.

    I have been impressed with the work that Joe Schwartz at EXIT 10A is doing with Notice/Wonder in math. I am on my iPad and cannnot seem to create links ver well, but you can search for both, if you have not already connected up with them.

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  2. Thanks for joining Math Monday this week with some really valuable resources to get to know! Math sounds exciting in your room this year.

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