[math4] Multiplication (discussion)

[Jason Rock]

I like the idea to show the +x on the side that adds quite a bit to the
presentation.

design question for x and y: two sliders? one slider one text input? two
sliders and text inputs?

--Jason


On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 12:51 AM, Frederick Grose <fgrose at gmail.com> wrote:

> 2009/3/16 Jason Rock <rockj at rpi.edu>
> >
> > I would like to throw together a program to teach children multiplication
> through repeated addition, but since it isn't really the sort of thing that
> you just throw on flash cards I'd like to get some insight from other people
> before I start programming.
> >
> > My idea is given multiplication between x and y.
> > Allow keyboard input for x from 0 to ~12
> > y depends on a slider that is discrete on 0 to ~12
> >
> > then display a "matrix" of images where the number of images across is x
> and down is y
> >
> > something that looks like
> > ****
> > ****
> > would represent 4*2
> > x*y would be displayed somewhere on the app
> >
> > Does that sound like the sort of thing that would actually help students
> learn the idea of multiplication?
> >
> > ===Code Stuff===
> > 1) What is the best way to display an "array" of images so that (being
> vector graphics) the images could re-size to take up as much room as they
> can?
> >
> > --Jason
>
> Seems as  this would demonstrate multiplication through repeated
> addition, if the incremental changes showed the intermediate sums both
> graphically and with numerals and operation symbols.
>
>        +               x
> __       0                 0   = 0
> **    +2  = 2      x  1  = 2
> **    +2  = 4      x  2  = 4
> **    +2  = 6      x  3  = 6
> **    +2  = 8      x  4  = 8
>
> Some way to display a problem to that the tool can solve if the child
> experiments. And then, can let the child use that understanding to
> prove that the result is has to true.  Perhaps through repetition and
> strange but beautiful cases.
>
> This could also teach the use of multiplication to calculate simple
> areas.  (Where is Ed Cherlin and his virtual Cuisenaire rods?)
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