Have you ever come across a math trick where you are asked to pick a number, then add, subtract, multiply or divide it depending on the situation, and when you were all finished the number represented something specific?
For example:
1. Pick the number of times per week you would like sleep in (more than 1, less than 8)
2. Multiply this number by 2.
3. Add 5.
4. Multiply it by 50 (do you need a calculator?)
5. If you have already had your birthday this year, add 1757... If you haven't, add 1756.
6. Now subtract the year you were born.
You should have a three digit number......... the first digit is the number of days you want to sleep in and the next 2 numbers are (do you recognize it?)... your age!
All of these problems can be represented using algebra (yes, there is a use for it!).
Can you prove this one? If so, write it down and turn it in before the test next week; it is worth an extra credit point!
I challenge you to try to write your own problem (at least 5 steps) and post it on the blog. Other students can then either prove (or disprove) your problem. Be creative - have fun!
28 comments:
Sounds cool, Mrs. K. I'll think of a problem to post.
what is the perpose of this blog? also i have to change pswrd every time .my computer is a piece o junk also because we are lucky we have dial up. im also haveing alot problems with my homework. can i get a confrence sheet on monday?
The purpose of the blog is supposed to be to show you that there is more to math than just doing problems out of a textbook, that math is everywhere in the world.
Some dude who needs to have more to do in life wrote a haiku using the numbers on a calculator...
Illegible blob
Legless eggshell oozes oil
Elegize his loss
http://latteier.com/calculator/
That is really cool I tried it on myself and got 514 exactly what it should be. I wonder what the pattern is in how you pick the numbers.
That is really cool! I got 714 exactly ahah. But i am trying to think of another problem but its pretty hard. If i had all day and didn't go to school maybe i could think of one but i dont know any off the top of my head. You woulld need a lot time to think of one.
i cant believe that would actuall work lol. I think it would take me about 1 year to think of something that creative. Maybe if i find some time think of one i will do it. I can probably tell you it wont be that good if i do. I might not be able to even think of one haha, but ill see.
if i cant get a question do i get downgraded??? please say no lol.
This is really neat! I decided to give it a try and I got 313 exactly. I should try to come up with my own problem. That might take a while.
Personally I think that math wouldn't be fun for me just to do for fun. I could give it a try but I don't think I would like it.
This new system that we're doing in math is better than before but I just need to have things explained more during class or have a page of notes to go back to. I'm not saying get ride of it just to tweak it a little.
This is in response to Brad's comment. I agree with him; I like the new method, but it does create some unnecessary work because of all of the extra correcting we need to do. It would be nice to have a little more explanation... maybe a packet for every student to use that illustrates the steps needed to solve the problems?
i usually just ask my partner or somebody around me for help instead of running up to mrs.K every time i get confused. i guess it depends on who you sit by.
I did the problem but I didnt come up with the right answer. I got 513, The first # was right but my age was not. I'm 14!!
that would be pretty cool, if i had got the right answer, haha. i got 713 and i dont know why. im 14 though. but its pretty cool i can see how it works.
Because algebra make your brain think doing problems can be entertainment. Like crossword puzzels and Sudoku it makes you think. So if you like challenges algebra can be entertainment.
I have learned this on for my cousin about 5 years ago and he learned itfrom his grandpa, here it is.
1.) Pick a number 1-10
2.) Multiply that number by 2,
3.) then then add 10 to that number,
4.) after that you divide those numbers by 2,
5.) finally you subract those numbers by the number you picked in the start.
Your answer is then 5.
Example- I picked the number 7, I multiply it by 2 and I get 14, then I add 10 to it and I get 24, then I divided it by 2 and go 12, then I subrtacted that number by 7 (the number I picked in the start) and got 5!!! try to figure how I did that.
i did this and got the right answer, but i didn't know how it worked. so i asked my mom (who is a lawyer, which unfortunately means that she has to figure everything out for herself) and she figured it out. (using algebra, she says) here's how she did it:
where n= 2 through 7
(((n(2)+5)50)+1757-y.o.b=100n+2007-y.o.b
(2n+5)50+1757-y.o.b=100n+2007-y.o.b
100n+250+1757-y.o.b=100n+2007-y.o.b
100n+2007-y.o.b=100n+2007-yob
now the year of birth cancels eachother out
100n+2007=100n+2007
"ta-da"
see? even lawyers need math...
~McKenzie Melchoir~
i believe that anyone who uses algebra for entertainment is kinda boring and must not have videogames. algebra is essential to the understanding of life, but let"s keep it as that and never make it fun!
Some of you students are really thinking about this... Excellent job!
i think algebra is frusterating so algebra would be no fun at all. i would rather go to the movies. i think drawing is more fun than algebra
Okay... so, I was just fooling around on my calculator the other day, and I figured out this number problem. If you try it, you may not get exactly the right answer, but something pretty close to it. I ended up getting the right answer for myself, but when I tried it for other people, sometimes there were decimals. Use your calculator.
1. Enter your phone number (not your area code).
2. Add your age.
3. Divide by your birthdate (m/d/y).
Hopefully it works for you!
Shannon,
What answer are you suppose to get?
well, you are supposed to end up with your phone number once again, but i am guessing it didn't work for you? maybe it is one of those anomalies... one of those problems that only works for me...
i did the eguation too and it works.i think this blog should not hurt my grade
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