Tutor MathsGuru: Ask me for your burning Maths questions!

[catddy2002]

Hi Mathsguru,


Can check with you this question:

A teacher has some pencils.
If he give his students 2 pencils each, he has 10 pencils left.
If he give his students 3 pencils each, he has none left.
How many student he has?

Can you use a method to explain to a P4 student?
Thanks.

[mathsguru]

catddy2002:

Hi Mathsguru,


Can check with you this question:

A teacher has some pencils.
If he give his students 2 pencils each, he has 10 pencils left.
If he give his students 3 pencils each, he has none left.
How many student he has?

Can you use a method to explain to a P4 student?
Thanks.

Hi Catddy2002,

We can use logical deduction to obtain the answer. Try explaining this to ur child:
To give each student 1 pencil more, the teacher would have to use up his remaining 10 pencils. 

Therefore, how many students can the teacher give an extra 1 pencil to if he only has 10 pencils to give away. Answer: 10 / 1 = 10 students.

Since all students receive that additional pencil, that will mean there are 10 students in all.

I use this method to solve this type of questions. It's fast and accurate and my students all find it easy to understand. Hope ur child can ace this kind of question next time. The trick is to always ask urself : To give ___ extra no. of items to each person, u'll need how many more? Sometimes u gotta add/subtract to find out how many more, depending on the question. Then, simply divide the latter by the former and answer is out.

Cheers,
MathsGuru

[sachiko]

Dear MathsGuru


I would appreciate if you could help me to solve the following problem sum:

Lucas and Amos had the same amount of money. Lucas spent $220 while Amos spent $112. Lucas had 1/4 of the total amount both of them had left. How much money did they have altogether at first?

Thank you.

[BigDevil]

sachiko:

Dear MathsGuru


I would appreciate if you could help me to solve the following problem sum:

Lucas and Amos had the same amount of money. Lucas spent $220 while Amos spent $112. Lucas had 1/4 of the total amount both of them had left. How much money did they have altogether at first?

Thank you.

Let me try, let me try...


http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pqi5Ep9

Mathsguru, correct?

[sachiko]

Dear MathsGuru


One more question please:

Dino and Ethan have a total of 489 cards. Brad and Dino have 174 cards altogether. Ethan has 6 times as many cards as Brad. How many cards does Dino have?

Thank you.

[sachiko]

Thanks BigDevil. But can you please advise this part \"Lucas had 1/4 of the total amount both of them had left\"?

BigDevil:

sachiko:

Dear MathsGuru

I would appreciate if you could help me to solve the following problem sum:

Lucas and Amos had the same amount of money. Lucas spent $220 while Amos spent $112. Lucas had 1/4 of the total amount both of them had left. How much money did they have altogether at first?

Thank you.

Let me try, let me try...


http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pqi5Ep9

Mathsguru, correct?

[mathsguru]

BigDevil:

sachiko:

Dear MathsGuru


I would appreciate if you could help me to solve the following problem sum:

Lucas and Amos had the same amount of money. Lucas spent $220 while Amos spent $112. Lucas had 1/4 of the total amount both of them had left. How much money did they have altogether at first?

Thank you.

Let me try, let me try...


http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pqi5Ep9

Mathsguru, correct?

Hi BigDevil,

Yes! You're absolutely right! The model looks great too~~

Kudos to you,
MathsGuru

[mathsguru]

sachiko:

Thanks BigDevil. But can you please advise this part \"Lucas had 1/4 of the total amount both of them had left\"?

Hi Sachiko,

If Lucas had 1/4 of the total amount of both of them had left, ratio of Lucas' remaining amt vs. Amos' remaining amt will be 1 : 3.

Hence, 1 unit for Lucas and 3 units for Amos. Next, we add back the amounts they had spent and make both diagrams equal. Then, we can compare and find out that 2 units = $108.

Cheers,
MathsGuru

[catddy2002]

mathsguru:

catddy2002:

Hi Mathsguru,


Can check with you this question:

A teacher has some pencils.
If he give his students 2 pencils each, he has 10 pencils left.
If he give his students 3 pencils each, he has none left.
How many student he has?

Can you use a method to explain to a P4 student?
Thanks.

Hi Catddy2002,

We can use logical deduction to obtain the answer. Try explaining this to ur child:
To give each student 1 pencil more, the teacher would have to use up his remaining 10 pencils. 

Therefore, how many students can the teacher give an extra 1 pencil to if he only has 10 pencils to give away. Answer: 10 / 1 = 10 students.

Since all students receive that additional pencil, that will mean there are 10 students in all.

I use this method to solve this type of questions. It's fast and accurate and my students all find it easy to understand. Hope ur child can ace this kind of question next time. The trick is to always ask urself : To give ___ extra no. of items to each person, u'll need how many more? Sometimes u gotta add/subtract to find out how many more, depending on the question. Then, simply divide the latter by the former and answer is out.

Cheers,
MathsGuru

Hi MathsGuru,

A big thanks to you!
I've been thinking the whole night how to make my son understand.
As you mentioned before, we sometimes think too complicated, therefore, such simple way just slip out of mind. :oops:

[mathsguru]

sachiko:

Dear MathsGuru


One more question please:

Dino and Ethan have a total of 489 cards. Brad and Dino have 174 cards altogether. Ethan has 6 times as many cards as Brad. How many cards does Dino have?

Thank you.

Hi Sachiko,

Here's my solution. Hope it helps!

http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=TsVyv1i

Cheers,
MathsGuru