Where did all the age appropriate normal math problems go? When I went to school it was addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. As you got older things got harder. When you went into Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry (which I never took by the way) it got a little more complicated of course, but in elementary school it was about making sure you understood the basics. Not so much today, thanks to Common Core.
My son is working on a sheet with multiplication problems…simple right? Not so much. What would one do if they had 6 x 297? Well under normal circumstances you would
- Multiply 6×7 to get 42, carry the 4 over
- Multiply 9×6 to get 54, add 4 to make it 58, carry the 5
- Multiply 6×2 to get 12, add the 5 to make it 17
- Voila a total of 1782.
Even this girl, who did not pass math with flying colors, can do that.
Thanks to Common Core, I can get rid of everything I learned (at least during elementary ages) to add several extra steps and confuse the heck out of my kids and myself.
This is how Common Core wants you to do it (taken from my son’s 4th grade homework page)
6 x 297
300-3=297,
6 x 297 = 6 x (300 + 3)
= (6×300) – (6×3)
=1800-18
= 1782
The point of adding all the extra steps is???? What in the world happened to multiplying like normal? When they have 3 sets of numbers like 20 x 72 x 5…I give up. I guess that would be (18+2) x (70-2) x (3+2) but I am sure I am probably wrong.
While we are talking Common Core, check out the fun they are having at my friend Trisha’s daughters school…in her post here, you can see there are pretty strong comments from both sides about common core.
And while we are on the subject of math (not common core related), what in the world is this Lattice Multiplication crap…
Sometimes simple is better, in my opinion, at least in the case of math. My thoughts….go back to the normal AKA old school way of doing math! Maybe I need to go sit in classes with my kids so I can see how the teachers break it down!
Does your school have the Common Core math?? I say we all boycott Common Core
Toni Patton
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I guess i can’t really have an opinion on this or at least one that matters considering I don’t have children but how are these children supposed to be able to do any math in their head or add on to the lattice system when they advance to algebra?
I can see how for young learners the lattice system might be easier but they are not learning long multiplication. Really bad at math but does the lattice actually work for every multiplication problem?
I do NOT get why we are confusing our children with this crap.
My third grader’s teacher is going over 3 digit subtraction and why you can go left to right instead of right to left- because you can always borrow later.
WHY, WHY, WHY?
My son was SO frustrated. He knew how to do it the regular way, but was totally stumped by showing it this way- even he said, “But mom, this doesn’t make any sense and it takes longer!”
Let’s all boycott. I’m with you.
Is there an option to boycott? Or a petition to sign? I’m in favor of getting rid of it!
I am right there with you. I thought our governor would have been smarter than that to allow it…maybe we have to write them??
I think it’s a better way to learn, because it allows you to do complicated math in your head very easily. That’s how I’ve always done math myself.
You sound like my husband, I think that is the way he does math, which is great when he gets to help with homework but it’s so hard since he goes to school two nights a week and has homework the others LOL. It’s either wait til he gets home (non-school nights) or get up way early (they have to be at school at 7:15). Want to come tutor my kids 🙂
Maybe once they learn the basics, though, they won’t even need help because they can do it in their heads!
One hopes that is true…I despise math when it’s the normal (or easy for me) way LOL so this confuses the heck out of me
This is the way that I usually do the math in my head as well. That having been said, I still believe in learning it the long way before teaching shortcuts. That way you always have another method to fall back on. Better to learn more than one way to skin a cat!
I am not a fan of common core. My kids are still in preschool, so I am not dealing with these problems yet. I have heard and read a lot on common core, and it does not thrill me.
On the other hand, when I have to do a problem like 6X297 in my head, I actually do it the way that common core teaches (1800-18)… I was never taught to do that, but it just made more sense to me when I didn’t have paper and pen to figure it out.
So – in my opinion, we need to go back to teaching kids the basics and build a strong foundation. Kids need to know to do multiplication, addition, division, etc. the “old fashioned” way. On the other hand, I do think some of the “tricks” they are teaching are helpful in the long run.
I don’t know if Common Core is used, but I have problems sometimes just trying to understand the questions.
I have always hated math and I can see hating it once my boys are old enough to do algebra and whatnot. I tried to follow your example -Common Core way- and I just did not get it at all!! Wouldn’t it be better to have kids actually love math, or are they trying to make us all hate it just because they have nothing else to do?
I have seen the Lattice Multiplication method and it is so much easier!
My so is in first grade and they just implemented common core. He has to solve word problems. Seriously? He can’t even read yet! Homework is a nightmare now!
How neat on the Lattice math, never really saw that or was taught that method in school!!!
That just seems so convoluted and insane to me. I’m glad my kids are out of school!
Goof grief. Maybe we’ll homeschool.
My boys are past this stage but my daughter is in 2nd grade I cringe at this, it makes no sense to me. Especially when they come home and ask for help!
no —- so glad I homeschool!
I feel pretty lucky that they don’t teach this way at my son’s school (at least yet!) It looks really complicated and I can see it causing a lot of stress not only for kids but parents because they won’t be able to kelp kids with their homework.
I’ve been hearing a lot about common core, but didn’t really understand what it was. If you’re saying that subjects are more advanced son, my son’s school has been doing this since kindergarten (he’s in 2nd grade now), and I have always been appalled by what they’re teaching. It is amazing how much homework he brings, too! Unfortunately, I probably would have been put in special classes when I was in 2nd grade if I had the math that my son does. They want kids to know so much at an early age, and they wonder why a lot of kids get burnt out by the time they’re in high school. 🙁
I’m like really screwed once M starts school – what the!
We don’t have common core and I’m praying that our district does not implement it.