Numeracy

How do you solve a problem?

In maths, there are a lot of different ways to solve a problem. Some might need concrete materials like blocks or counters, some people might need to draw it out and some might be able to do it in their head! I’m definitely a draw it out person, I like to see a visual. If you think about yourself solving a maths problem, which strategy is your go to?

During a maths lesson, teachers allow students to have all of these experiences, and use the one that works best for them. 

Some students like counters, unifix or marbles to work out their problem. They need to be able to manipulate the pieces, add more or take them away to help them come to a solution. 

An example of this would be students using their fingers to help them with a problem like 6 + 4 = 

Some students may like to draw, and will often draw dots, lines or even creatures to help them. The process of drawing helps to cement the ideas into their mind, and lock them away in their long term memory. 

An example of this, using the 6 + 4 sum, would be a student colouring in a tens frame to work out the answer. 

When students have a good understanding of a concept, they can use their abstract thinking. They might draw on a picture they already have in their mind, or use facts that they’ve learnt. Taking the 6 + 4 sum, abstract solvers may just 10 automatically, because these facts are already in their memory and they have a solid fluency base. 

Like with everything, we each have our own tool that helps us.We may be able to use our abstract thinking when talking about skip counting but when we solve a fractions problem, we might use a drawing. 

Look at this problem and think about which would help you solve it: concrete materials, a visual or can you just solve it in your head? 

How many answers can you think of: _ x _ = 36