Читать книгу How to significantly improve understanding of the basics of mathematics in a very short time - Igor Kazarinov - Страница 4

I ask the student to write an example: A + B = C. (If the student does not know yet how letters are used in mathematics then I write numbers: 3 +5 = 8).

Then I ask him – what is the name of this action. The correct name is “addition”. But I was told many other words that have the same meaning but are not used in mathematics textbooks and in tasks and problems: “plus”, “plusing”… In this case I tell that the student is right but although our language is rich in similar words, it is customary to use only one word – “addition” – in textbooks and in mathematics lessons and in other exact subjects (physics and chemistry). And that “addition” is the precise word that is very important for the mastery of mathematics. When they firmly understand the word “addition” – then let them, if they want, entertain themselves inventing synonyms for the official word “addition”.

After that I show them the examples with addition and I ask them to name this action aloud. I also check the same for “subtraction”. And I’ve heard such names as “minus” and “calculation” … After the student agrees that it is necessary to know exactly the correct names for all math actions I start to train him showing on examples with addition, then with subtraction in a random order, till he starts to give names of mathematical actions quickly and confidently. Ideally the student become cheerful from this training – when he fully learned these names.

This should be done in the form of a game and without negative emotions. (You can easily see that any negative emotions only delay the learning process.) When the student becomes quick and cheerful this training can be completed. After achieving this result chances to forget these names are very little. You can also show examples with multiplication and division actions (if the student already knows about them). According to my practice students know the names of more complex actions perfectly. (Maybe because they do not call signs when they read formulas, because "+" they read as “plus” and not “add”, and "-" read “minus” instead of “subtract”, whereas they never say “point” or “dot” when multiplying or “colon” in division!).

Then I ask: “What is the name of A?” (The correct answer is “addend”. And you’ll be surprized how many students DO NOT KNOW such a simple fact!). Then I ask about B (“addend” or “summand”) and finally about C (“sum”). All these words can be seen in a good explanatory dictionary to add confidence that it wasn’t we who invent these terms. Then I ask the student to explain by his own words what the “summand” (“addend”) and “sum” mean.