Isolate Variable

Isolate a variable by:
1) Changing all "-" signs to "+ the opposite"
2) Use the distributive property
3) Identify like terms
4) Combine like terms
5)Add the opposite
6)Divide since division is the opposite of multiply

Long Division

Long division requires a repeated process and a knowledge of relevant vocabulary.

Showing a triangle is a right triangle by using algebra.

Rectangular modeling problem involving "fractions of a remainder"

The trick to these "fraction of a remainder" rectangular modeling problems is to choose the correct number of squares to make up your original rectangle. Always choose the least common multiple of your denominators.

Sales commission

Volume in cubic miles

We must think of the irregularly shaped object as a collection of known geometric shapes. Remember the formulas for are of a rectangle and a semicircle. We need to recall that the formula for Volume is area of base multiplied by height.

Multiplication and Division of mixed units

Here we need to have a firm understanding of how many smaller units make up the larger unit. I choose to convert all units to the smaller of the two, then preform the required arithmetic , then convert back to the mixed units.

Geometry Test Review.

Her I post various explanations to support the solutions to the problems on the Review for the Final exam in a neighboring school district.

3D tesselation

In this example my 10 year old students take a line segment and divide it into 3 equal pieces to form a triangle. They take that triangle and form a triangular prism , they take that triangular prism and replicate the process many times to produce the polyhedron shown.

Isolate variable with mixed numbers

Container word problem

Here we recall "times" means multiply and we let a variable represent the unknown quantity.

Finding a point with certian constraints.

Simplifying an expression invoving exponents.

Value of a fraction

Irregularly shaped object volume

Consecutive Integers

Translating words to mathematical symbols is the key here.

Word problems GALORE!

Basic skills practice: ROUNDING

Word problem city!

Here we see word problems of varying degrees of challenge. Email me if the explanations are not clear enough.

Word problems with rectangular modeling

Rectangular modeling is relied upon here.

Rectangular modeling is used here also.

Rounding the Sum to one decimal place

The concept of rounding and place value is reviewed here.

Inverse Function

In this example you must exchange the place of the x and y variable and then isolate the y.

Basic Fraction skill review

We need to be familiar with the Least Common Multiple, and reducing fractions to be successful with adding and subtracting fractions. The following pictures illustrate examples in the aforementioned concepts.

Geometric Proofs

To be successful with proofs one must think logically. Do NOT try to use a characteristic of the conclusion. Too often developing mathematics students try to assert something they are actually trying to prove. I find thinking about every characteristic of the conclusion can help with your discovery of the needed definitions, postulates , properties, or previously proven theorems you will use in your proof.