Math

**Summer Math Problems**
• How will you organize your work to find the answer? (strategy)

• How will you know that your answer is correct?

• How will you know that it is the only possible answer?

• If there is more than one answer, how will you know you have them all?

• What if...?

@Monday, July 26 Share your thoughts about this problem on the discussion for this page. Sign your work so we know whose thoughts they are!

Tuesday, July 27 Continue working on Monday's problem, or try the second problem.

__Wednesday, July 28__ Continue working on previous problems, or try the third problem. Record you work on a piece of paper (to become a notebook page). Use the guiding questions above to help your problem-solving.

Thursday, July 29 Hand in your explanation of the container problem from yesterday. Use a sheet of graph paper for today's problem.

__Friday, July 30__ Field trip - Borders bookstore in Concord

__Monday, August 2__ Today's problem is about a chessboard, which measures 8 units on each side. You may use grid paper if it is helpful.

__Tuesday, August 3__ Hand in your explanation for the "What-If" part of the chessboard problem, also your work on the first parts(s) of the problem. You may find it useful to use a calculator for today's problem. Think about how you will organize your work.

__Wednesday, August 4__ Field trip - visit to Casella landfill in Bethlehem

__Thursday, August 5__ Inventory problem - how is this related to math? We will not be adding a new problem today, but will take a look at how to present solutions to math problems. What characteristics mark high-quality work?

=// Guidelines for communicating mathematical thinking effectively: // =
 * Re-state the problem for the reader
 * Use labels to give meaning to the numbers you write
 * Label your diagrams
 * Align numbers in columns
 * Use tables when you are giving a list of data (labels at the top of the columns or rows)
 * Use correct symbols for operations and grouping symbols (parentheses)
 * Clearly identify your final answer(s) and include the justification (check)

__Friday, August 6__ Do you ever play games on facebook? I sometimes play "Cube Crash" and my highest-ever score is around 71000. Usually I don't even make level 6 (with more colors). Think about how you will organize your work to solve this problem. Will you need scrap paper? Graph paper? a calculator? Review the problem-solving strategies we have worked on so far.

__Monday, August 9__ Use the guidelines above when preparing your final copy to hand in. You will submit your first draft (sloppy copy) also.

__Wednesday, August 11__ Use the guidelines above when preparing your final copy to hand in. You will submit your first draft (sloppy copy) also. Remember, high quality work will include a "what if...?" For example, what if it was only a million instead of a billion? Or find out the number of years it would take to pay off the national debt if every man, woman, and child in the US paid $100 per year.

__Friday, August 13 or Monday, August 16__ Remember to LABEL all the numbers you write in solving this problem!

Tuesday, August 17 For full credit, remember to 1) restate the problem, or at least the essential information, 2) label the numbers as you are using them, and 3) organize your work so the reader can follow what you did!