Problem Solving

By: Annic (18 month(s) ago)      

First, if a student writes the answer sentence first, he could simply fill in the answer with some number from the problem and not bother to re-read the answer sentence. Second, some problems are solved better with a part-whole model than a comparison model. Third, some problems are better solved starting with a fact given in some other part than the first sentence. This business of imposing steps inhibits students from thinking the problem through and applying an approach that makes the best sense and does not work with more complex problems, only with problems made up to fit the steps. It is almost as bad as relying on key words. Bar models are a Singapore approach. This step-by-step thing of who or what and drawing a bar for each is made up for US. For simple word problems in US math.