"Show your work." A common theme on math worksheets and tests. Yet, despite the frequent refrain, it's actually quite difficult for teachers to describe what good examples of "showing work" actually...
Tag: algebra
It's tempting to think that squaring a binomial means simply squaring each term. I mean, if math is logical and makes sense, it should be that easy, right? Yet, algebra students (and even students...
Functions are a big deal in algebra. The ideas they generate continue to influence how we think about mathematics beyond algebra as well. Conceptually, they are one of the most frequently...
(Click aqui para leer este articulo en español.) Algebra Tiles can be extremely useful in developing early algebraic thinking and modeling certain types of problems. However, they have very...
Formulas, Expressions, Relations, and Functions: What’s the Difference?
Words we use loosely throughout elementary math -- such as solve, expression, equation, formula -- suddenly gain very particular and specific meanings in algebra. Not only do some algebra teachers...
Meme credit: Howie Hua via Twitter Factoring expressions is one of those tasks in algebra that often feel tedious and pointless. This is even more true once someone points out that the vast...