Tutor MathsGuru: Ask me for your burning Maths questions!
-
tutormum:
I like using model in my solution as I think it's easy to see and the children will have confidence in model drawing when they go to upper primary.Tang:
[quote=\"Muffins\"]
Hi Seekinghelp, the problem can be solved in two ways. Both, easy to understand and explain. I'll give both of them.
The first way
15 - 7 = 8
8/2 = 4
15 - 4 = 11
The second way is longer but easier to explain...
Bigger number + smaller number = 15
Bigger number - smaller number = 7
So, bigger number + smaller number + bigger number - smaller number = 15 + 7 = 22
Which is the same as bigger number + bigger number = 22
So 1 of the bigger numbers is 22/2 = 11
Hope I helped!
To get the bigger number (big unit), do addition instead of subtraction.
15 + 7 = 22
22/2 = 11
B No [ ] [ 7 ] } Total 15
S No [ ] [ 7 ] (in broken-lined box)
So 15 - 7 = 8
2 units = 8
1 unit = 4
so small no is 4 and big no is 4 + 7 = 11
:celebrate:
Can we have some computer lessons on how to draw image and post? :please: DS3 has been calling me a computer idiot. :x[/quote]Using the same model (with red box added) ,
2 big units -> 15 + 7 = 22
1 big unit (bigger number) -> 22/2 = 11 -
tianzhu:
If a recommendation comes from tianzhu, it must be goodHi Chiefkiasu
I observe that mathsguru has been active in her responses to queries. Would it be possible to make her thread a sticky one or place her thread as one of subset of PSLE Maths? Otherwise it will be a waste if her thread disappears from the radar screen.
It will certainly benefit parents/students in the long run if she continues to be active in answering questions. Of course, this arrangement will only stay if she is active.
Best wishes
.
Thread sticky-ed. -
Dear all,
:thankyou: so much for your support!! You guys really made my day...
From the bottom of my heart, I truly appreciate your kind words and encouragement alot...I will continue my best to provide detailed solutions for your Maths questions! :snuggles:
FYI, this is the 1st time I'm \"active\" in any forum and am flattered to have my thread made \"sticky\"!! Hehe...I always just look-see, look-see in many other forums. But, I guess over here, I'm overwhelmed and touched to see so many kind-hearted souls sharing Maths solutions with one another, and that made me wanna do the same too! So, let's keep this culture and spirit going yeah...?
However, hope to seek your understanding that as I'm also a full-time tutor, I may not be able to respond to your questions/posts very quickly. Nevertheless, you have my word that I will check the forum at least once a day and help out as soon as I can. *promise*
Have a great weekend ahead everyone~~
Sincerely Yours,
MathsGuru -
all.in.one:
Hi all.in.one,Thanks for MathGuru's commitment in Math solutions!
Perhaps it is good to indicate which level is the questions posted.
Or are these all PSLE P6 questions only? :thankyou:
Appreciate your comment!
If you're referring to the speed questions posted by Suiyuan, I would say they should be P6 level. The first 2 ratio problems can be P5 or P6.
The sausage, water and number questions are rather basic questions that are expected of Pri sch students and they should be ard P3/4 level.
Hope this answers your question.
As a suggestion, perhaps in future, let's provide the level of the questions when posting them...?
Regards,
MathsGuru -
tutormum:
Hi Tutormum,I like using model in my solution as I think it's easy to see and the children will have confidence in model drawing when they go to upper primary.
B No [ ] [ 7 ] } Total 15
S No [ ]
So 15 - 7 = 8
2 units = 8
1 unit = 4
so small no is 4 and big no is 4 + 7 = 11
:celebrate:
Can we have some computer lessons on how to draw image and post? :please: DS3 has been calling me a computer idiot. :x
To be honest, it's not difficult to use the comp to draw nice diagrams...it's just time-consuming! I believe you can do it too! (That's why if you notice, I did the 1st 2 questions in this thread by hand and scan in my solutions)
For the above question, I posted my solution as a picture. Basically what I did is to draw the diagrams in MS Powerpoint. Then, I save the slide as a picture and post it here. It's more troublesome at first...but once you have a few solutions, they serve as templates and you can just cut and paste them for future solutions.
MathsGuru -
KSP:
Hi KSP and fellow KiasuParents,I feel that to help our kids do well in Maths, we have to let them learn how to solve these mind twisting questions. Some of the PSLE Maths questions even we as parents can't solve them. I feel that schools are not doing enough in this area.
While we can share our workings and solutions here, but when come to explaining to our kids they may not understand or take a while to absorb. I'm not sure this is the right approach. But I still think there should be a proper method in teaching our kids to solve model questions.
Is there anyone here watch the Friday night 10.30pm Ch8 show about the P6 student saying how tough the PSLE Maths paper.
The thing that interest me was when they asked the HCI and NYGH students to solve the \"Ken Jim chocolate sweet\" question, one of the NYGH said she already know how to answer this type of question when she was P5 and she learnt it at an enrichment class. So I really wonder which enrichment class teaches this. Is it Learning Lab, Dr Peh or etc.... can do the job?
If you don't mind, I would like to share some personal thoughts here... :please:
I do agree with you that some of the PSLE questions are mind-twisting, however, they are definitely not out of what the students have learnt. It's just a matter of applying the Maths concepts/techniques at a more sophisticated level.
Frankly speaking, when I was a Primary School student (about 14 years ago), Maths was not my forte. And I groaned and moaned when my mum bought assessment books for me to do. There were already mind-twisting questions around then...
I still remember a series of books called \"Challenging Problems\" (think there were like 5-6 volumes). And, I still remember my weaker topics were speed and rate-related questions (similar to what Suiyuan posted and those water-flowing-in-and-leaking-simultaneously-at-different-rates kinda questions). My mum doesn't know how to solve those challenging questions too. And ironically, much as I'm a Maths tutor now, I never ever went for any tuition or enrichment classes. Just purely school and assessment books...
And, I'm definitely not a genius or gifted child. I learnt it through the hard way --- practice. Those challenging Maths assessment books have model solutions and detailed examples. So, for every question I didn't know, I read, understood, covered up the solution and try to do it again on my own. Of course, it helped that my parents were pretty strict with me and at that time, there were no DS/PSP/Wii/handphone/Internet/Facebook kind of distractions...probably just WinDos, Pacman and my handheld Tetris which my mum confiscated and only let me play after exams...*sad*
Oops, sorry I digress... Well, the more I practise, the more I gain confidence in myself. And when I see that I can solve more and more \"challenging problems\", I begin to develop interest and liking towards Maths. And my grades improved too. Today, I'm glad I went through all these because it built up a good foundation and instilled good discipline in me. So, I'm a good living example of a student who can improve Maths without going for tuition/supplementary/enrichment classes, etc. All by practice.
(I know some of you may be thinking, \"But hey...that contradicts your profession as a Maths tutor now!\" Like what I mentioned in my profile, having gone through the local education system and the \"frustrations\" it brings about, I would like to share my own learning method and way of understanding Maths concepts with more students so that they can develop interest in Maths and score well in it, just like what I did. Cos out of so many different subjects, Maths is 1 that you can easily score well and potentially get full marks, unlike languages/humanities.)
My point is: Whatever students learnt in schools are basic concepts. Through practice and exposure to challenging problems, students can then materialise and apply what they have learnt into a higher level. (And we must always bear in mind that in every exam, they need to set a couple of more difficult questions to differentiate students of different calibre. Else, everyone gets A* and that is not going to be of value. Such is life, unfortunately...and so, we just got to try our best and make the best out of what we've got!)
Anyway, back to your comment about parents not being able to solve the Maths questions. Actually, sometimes as adults/parents, we find it ridiculous that even we can't solve a question in a few minutes, let alone primary sch students. However, it can also be that the more we know, the more \"blindspots\" we have...
For instance, when we first looked at the \"Ken Jim choc sweet\" question, most of us would wanna use algebra to solve. And then, we stop and say, \"Wait a min, Primary school students haven't learnt simultaneous equations!\". And then we looked at it again and feel that there is no better way to solve it. That's the thing with us. Having learnt more complicated/advanced stuff, we think too much.
Facing a question like this, we should approach it \"simply\" using heuristics and tools like models to compare, etc. You may ask, \"Where do we start then? Don't know how to draw the model/diagram leh...\"
Well, like how I always encourage my students, always begin somewhere! Don't just give up after reading a seemingly difficult question. If you are clueless, draw a simple diagram after reading 1 sentence. Then, for every subsequent sentence, add on more information to your diagram. If required, you may need to split the diagram or add more diagrams. Lastly, make sure you have all the information represented in the diagram(s). Then, from here, it should be clear what you should do as the 1st step of your working. 
Perhaps you can try using this method the next time your child tells you \"I don't know how to do this problem...\" You can even do it together with him/her...serves as a bonding session too! :snuggles:
My 2 Cents' Worth Food for Thought,
MathsGuru -
Agreed. Well said, Maths Guru!
clap clap -
Hi Mathsguru
I agree with you. Maths is the only subject that we can score if we practised hard enough, unlike languages. I still remember when I was first exposed to A maths in sec 3, I failed every single test cos I had absolutely no idea how to solve the problems. Couldn’t afford any tuition then and no help at all. I had to copy friend’s workings and answers for practically every piece of homework. It was really discouraging but I was determined to overcome my weakness. So I decided the only way out was to figure out the model answers from the ten year series and practised real hard. And eventually I got A2 for my O levels. To me, it was really a great achievement. From then on, I had greater interest and confidence in this subject.
Now that I have to coach my own kids, I find that I really have to unlearn what I have learnt previously cos the methods and syllabus we used to have are outdated. During the course of teaching, I went through their textbooks and also follow up on certain model solutions given from some assessment books. I also "studied" some of the top school papers to find out what the setters actually want to test them on. In this way, it helps me to explain better to my kids. I have learnt a lot through this teaching process and it has been very fruitful. Even though my DS1 did not do very well in SA due to carelessness, I am happy with the progress. I believe in laying a strong foundation at the lower primary and then practise is what we need. -
Thank you for your help.
Simon has some money.
He spends $10 on 3 exercise books and 7 pencils.
He will be short of $0.40 if he were to buy another exercise book.
He will have $0.60 left if he were to buy one more pencil.
(a) How much does each exercise book cost?
(b) How much money does Simon have? -
suiyuan:
I think this question is wrong. Pls check again.Thank you for your help.
Simon has some money.
He spends $10 on 3 exercise books and 7 pencils.
He will be short of $0.40 if he were to buy another exercise book.
He will have $0.60 left if he were to buy one more pencil.
(a) How much does each exercise book cost?
(b) How much money does Simon have?
Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.
Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.
With your input, this post could be even better 💗
Register Login