multiplication – Footpath Math: Chalk it up to a math geek

November 11, 2015November 11, 2015

Negative Numbers

A student asked me recently what it means when we multiply a negative by a negative. Specifically, she was asking: “Why is a negative times a negative a positive?” Negatives are strange, sometimes counterintuitive. If all you remember about negative numbers is a disconnected set of rules, those rules may have ended up in a bit of a knot. Students … Continue reading Negative Numbers

November 4, 2015November 25, 2015

Repeated Operations

I have been working with some middle and high school students this fall. It has only been a few short years since they were learning the basics. They retain some of those basics as disembodied rules, rules with no meaning or purpose. The situation seems to hinder them from experiencing the beauty and wonder that is high … Continue reading Repeated Operations