A Percentages Trick

Just a quick post service today to portion a groovy tip:

You tin rate notice swap the per centum as well as the amount:  16% of £25 is hard to calculate inwards your head, just 25% of £16 is exactly the same amount.

So if you lot desire to speedily function out 16% of £25 without a calculator, honour 25% of £16 instead (ie split £16 past times 4). Simple!

Think most why this works.

Source: www.aperiodical.com

5 Maths Gems #1

I’m fairly novel to Twitter. My absence over the final few years agency I’ve missed out on thousands of fantabulous didactics ideas. Twitter is a source of endless inspiration. So I cause got a plan. I’m going to write a weekly post highlighting 5 swell novel ideas I’ve gleaned from Twitter. These posts volition aid me retrieve things. And hopefully my readers volition do goodness too.

Today I’ve exceeded my trammel in addition to am presenting a listing of 6 ideas from my calendar week on Twitter (not a practiced start! I’ll aim for 5 adjacent week).

1. Practical ideas from Maryse. It sounds similar Maryse (@AllThingsMaths) has done an amazing labor transforming mathematics didactics inward her schoolhouse in addition to enthusing her students alongside tonnes of creative ideas. Here’s a alternative of those she’s shared this week:

• Play grab alongside eggs in addition to function out the relative frequency of smashing.
• Get an onetime tyre, pigment it in addition to whorl it to demonstrate circumference. 
• Have a seat out business painted inward the playground.
• Have discussions most going dorsum inward fourth dimension in addition to Doctor Who alongside go graphs. 

I dearest these ideas. Follow @AllThingsMaths for lots more.

Mistake Game, Colin Beveridge (My Favorite Liar’. You must read this! It prompted a give-and-take on Twitter most whether the thought would function inward maths. I think it would. In your start lesson alongside a novel class, say them that you'll say 1 prevarication per lesson. Your pupils cause got to position your lies. In the give-and-take on Twitter nosotros came upwards alongside a practiced listing of lies in addition to misconceptions, such every bit 'multiplication makes numbers bigger', 'if a seat out has 6 zeros so it's inward the millions' in addition to 'one is a prime number'. The thought is that y'all sideslip these lies into your didactics in addition to promise that your pupils volition right away challenge you. And if no-one challenges y'all so it volition brand a overnice plenary discussion. Mr Allan (@mrallanmaths) is going to endeavor it out - I’m actually looking frontward to hearing how effective it is. I think, similar the error game, it volition last incredibly engaging.

3. Box plots party. In reply to my post most teaching box plots, Pete Sides of the South Yorkshire Maths Hub (@SYMathsHub) suggested a lovely action inward which pupils speak over the ages of guests at unlike types of party, to aid them sympathise the concept of spread. For representative y'all could inquire them to line a box plot representing the ages of guests at an 18th birthday party, a wedding, a child’s political party etc. I similar this thought so I turned it into a worksheet in addition to added it to my weblog post.

Trigonometry triangles are similar. I’ve never given much thought to the fact that my students are missing an chance to practise rearranging formulae. I sympathise the argue for mixed views on these methods, but I do rather similar the triangle shared yesteryear Malc Henderson (@malc_henderson) for solving opposite percent problems. It’s overnice to cause got a make of tools to back upwards students when they’re preparing for their GCSEs.

6. Display ideas. Clarissa Grandi (@c0mplexnumber) posted a pic of her novel ‘vwllss’ corridor display (inspiration from @El_Timbre). It looks fantastic - what a practiced idea!

Other practiced display ideas I’ve seen lately include circle formulae yesteryear Dawn (@mrsdenyer), a foursquare beginning clock yesteryear Duncan Smart (@duncsmart), in addition to an interactive seat out puzzle for a maths corridor or classroom, shared yesteryear Mr C Ward (@MrWardMaths).

There y'all go, vi maths gems from @mathsjem (my initials are JEM yesteryear the way, it’s non a spelling mistake!). This is merely a pocket-size alternative of the practiced ideas I’ve seen on Twitter this week. More to come upwards adjacent week!

I’m working on a few posts at the moment, including 1 on introducing algebra in addition to 1 on introducing differentiation – if y'all cause got whatever swell ideas so delight electronic mail resourceaholic@gmail.com or tweet me.

Image sources: lightbulb tampawebdesigner.net; birds techwyse.com

5 Maths Gems #25

Gems 18 I featured 5 ideas from the showtime 100 issues of Chris Smith's newsletters. I promised I'd move dorsum with to a greater extent than newsletter gems, therefore today's post features to a greater extent than or less highlights from issues 101 - 250.

Chris's newsletters are really pop with maths teachers - he instantly has over 1,000 subscribers. Each week's newsletter is total of instruction ideas, puzzles, jokes together with mathematical trivia - it's ever a pleasance to read. If yous don't already subscribe, email Chris to learn on the list.

1. Number Stories
In Issue 123, Chris featured an reckon for developing mathematical vocabulary. Students do their ain number stories - this tin move every bit uncomplicated or complex every bit yous like. Chris included the basic event below for inspiration.

 2. Fractions together with Percentages
Another uncomplicated precisely effective activity was featured inwards Issue 113. Students brace off the numbers below (which yous could impress onto cards) to shape fractions equivalent to the percentages inwards the table. One response is already given.

3. Remembering Bearings

There's iii cardinal points that students request to retrieve nearly bearings. And remembering them is every bit tardily every bit 123...

This reckon originated from @kimmychuck together with featured inwards Newsletter 245.

4. Guess Who

In my post nearly Desmos Polygraph I described it every bit a digital (and mathematical) version of Guess Who. Back inwards Issue 210, Chris wrote nearly a similar reckon (originating from Jennifer Clark) which uses actual Guess Who boards - these are available for £3.50 on eBay. The painting demo below shows a guessing game for famous mathematicians. Jennifer likewise suggests putting the numbers 1 - 24 inwards the holders. For event I powerfulness select the number 12 together with my partner would convey to inquire me questions (eg is it prime?, is it a multiple of 4? is it square? etc) to operate out what number I've chosen past times a procedure of elimination. This is a prissy means to prepare vocabulary together with cognition of number properties. It could move used for other topics eg polygons, linear graphs together with parabolas. I'm non certain it would move practical to laid this upward for a whole class, precisely it would move a prissy activity for dandy parents to do at abode with their children if they convey an onetime Guess Who game.

5. Factor Visualisation

These animated factorisation diagrams are lovely. They're worth showing to your students when yous learn prime number factorisation. The animation moves rapidly precisely tin move paused together with reversed. It shows numbers arranged inwards accordance with their prime number factors. For example, ix is shown every bit iii groups of three, 10 is 5 groups of 2 together with xi is prime, therefore in that location is no grouping.

Visualisations of 9, 10 together with 11

The animation is mesmorising.  Background information is available Off on a Tangent - a post nearly opportunities to move spontaneous inwards maths lessons together with whether schemes of operate allow us to explore off-topic interesting mathematics.

Stretching Practice - a post nearly where to notice challenging practise questions together with resources.

It's solely iii weeks until La Salle Education's National Mathematics Teacher Conference in Birmingham - I'm actually looking forrad to it (don't forget to learn a costless ticket if yous haven't already!). This calendar week I've been busy writing my session, which is all nearly option methods for explaining mathematical concepts. See yous then!

Joke from Issue 169

5 Maths Gems #33

Hello too welcome to my 33^rd gems post. This is where I part 5 educational activity ideas I've seen on Twitter.

Well it's been fun educational activity inward this week's heatwave hasn't it?! I long for an air-conditioned classroom. Still, all this lovely sunshine serves equally a overnice reminder that the summertime holidays are but roughly the corner.

1. Pythagoras Pile Up
We've all seen the fantastic #mathsconf4 I was fortunate to bespeak heed a fantastic persuasion for educational activity Fractions, Decimals too Percentages from Number Resources page.

This calendar week @solvemymaths shared a actually overnice persuasion for educational activity estimator skills which comes from @Ms_Kmp's website mathssandpit.co.uk. Have a await at her post 'Calculators: The New Hope' to download the resource. And cheers to @solvemymaths for his novel '7 Days of Maths' series, which is good worth following.

4. Maths Videos
Thanks to @mhorley for sharing a link to the BBC's Kick Sum Maths videos - I've non seen these before. They powerfulness come upward inward handy to back upward the educational activity of a divulge of Key Stage 2/3 topics.

5. Self-Descriptive Numbers
Thanks to @LearningMaths for sharing this lovely activity 'Self-descriptive numbers'.

If yous await through the set of resources from which this activity comes too then you'll run into that there's enough of other corking materials inward at that spot too.

If yous similar these resources too then you'll honey cleavebooks.co.uk/trol which is total of first-class activities. For event I've long been a fan of the Vocabulary Exercises which would move good inward an information technology Room or amongst iPads.

Recommended Reading
Here's some links to banking concern agree out:

• Bruno Reddy (MEI Conference, Pret homework, #mathsconf4 and Favourite Problems. My final gems post - Gems 32 - was 1 of my most pop posts ever.

Finally, I desire to part a Don Steward activity that I constitute peculiarly effective this week. I was running an Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 marker induction session too decided to purpose the enquiry below equally a starter to brand a indicate almost algebra skills. The algebra hither should last straightforward for students who almost to embark on Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level, but some students struggled to position the answer. I made the indicate that if yous desire to create Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 marker Maths too then this kind of algebra should come upward real naturally. Strong algebra skills - ie the powerfulness to create this activity effortlessly - should last embedded past times GCSE too are essential to every Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 marker mathematician.

5 Maths Gems #40

Hello in addition to welcome to my 40^th gems post. This is where I portion 5 maths didactics ideas I've seen on Twitter.

I've been didactics long plenty to know how busy September is, only over again the overwhelming workload has come upward equally a shock! New classes, novel tutor group, novel systems, novel policies... I'm certain it volition all calm downwardly presently (well, maybe adjacent July!). However, therefore far therefore proficient - my novel schoolhouse is awesome in addition to I'm enjoying getting stuck into didactics again.

1. Play With Your Math
Thanks to Craig Jeavons (@Craigos87) for sharing a website I'd non seen earlier -playwithyourmath.com. Maths problems are posted every fortnight - they tin hold upward downloaded equally posters in addition to worksheets. Here's a couplet of examples:

2. Estimating Percentages
In #mathsTLP on Sunday @jeff2869 shared a overnice estimation tool - Estimate the Percentage. It's a straightforward activity for the Interactive Whiteboard that volition hold upward useful for assessing agreement of percentages.

3. Ordering Numbers
I similar activities involving ordering numbers, in addition to I especially similar the selection of numbers inwards these 2 activities from Chris Stapel (@StapelMathClass).

4. Number Starters
Back inwards Gems 34 I mentioned www.mathematicshed.com. These are nifty warm-up tasks for practising arithmetic.

5. Marking Stickers
I've seen some lovely examples of mark stickers this week. Anthony Biggs (@MathsDirectory) made these for presentation in addition to examine tips:

Miss Bowkett (@MissBowkett) shared her xanthous mark stickers which include feedback on presentation, 'what went well' in addition to adjacent steps.

Update
I've enjoyed coming together all my novel classes over the final 2 weeks. I've already used loads of wonderful Don Steward activities - this makes me happy!

3.142 variations

This calendar week I used Find the Factors puzzles for the starting fourth dimension time. I used a Level iv puzzle inwards my starting fourth dimension lesson amongst Year 10 in addition to a Level 1 puzzle inwards my starting fourth dimension lesson amongst Year 7. These puzzles are nifty for practising times tables in addition to using logic. Students inwards both classes said they wanted to effort to a greater extent than challenging Find the Factors puzzles therefore I'll definitely locomote these again.

Another success this calendar week was my starting fourth dimension Memory King tournament - I had a Year xi educatee recite the starting fourth dimension 10 prime numbers inwards 2.45 seconds!

I've got 3 novel Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 grade classes in addition to am finding that they're all real tranquillity in addition to hardworking. When they're doing a exercise exercise you lot could remove heed a pivot drop. They never inquire for aid or piece of occupation together. At my previous school, 6th shape students were much chattier during lessons - although they were less focused, they did inquire each other for aid a lot, therefore it was a mixed blessing. Hannah (‏@LorHRL) made a helpful proposition on Twitter this calendar week - she said that playing music during lessons helps because therefore students don't receive got to interruption the quiet to speak. I took her advice in addition to played tranquillity classical music during 2 Year thirteen lessons - it worked well. The atmosphere inwards the room was calm in addition to relaxed - students continued to focus only were to a greater extent than willing to inquire for aid from me or their peers.

Recent Posts
Last calendar week I wrote a postal service near High Expectations. I discussed the importance of pitching lessons right only non dumbing downwardly the content. Do receive got a human face if you lot missed it.

My school's annual Open Evening is adjacent week. If you lot receive got 1 coming upward too, you lot mightiness abide by my postal service about Open Evening helpful - it has lots of ideas for the Maths Department.

I was going to write a postal service near literacy only I've been also busy to hand it my total attending this week. I decided to summarise 5 golden rules instead - regard below. I regard many resources that comprise spelling mistakes, grammatical errors (particularly missing inquiry marks in addition to errant apostrophes) or wrong terminology. Please don't locomote them! It's non fair on your students.

Coming Soon
I'm hosting #mathscpdchat at 7pm on Tuesday 15th September. The topic is 'What expectations are you lot communicating to your Year 10 students equally they start on the revised GCSE course?'. I promise you lot tin bring together in.

I also promise you're planning to come upward to #mathsconf5 in Sheffield on 26th September (it's non also piece of cake to register). Do come upward in addition to say hello. I'll hold upward around for pre-conference drinks on the Fri nighttime too. I'm rather upset (actually, brand that devastated!) that I'm missing the 1 workshop that I desperately wanted to become to - unfortunately it clashes amongst my workshop. I would real very much appreciate it if individual who attends Kris Bolton's session 'The Stories of Maths' writes a detailed postal service near literally everything he says. Or - fifty-fifty improve - could you lot cinema his workshop on your tablet? I'd hold upward hugely grateful.

I'll larn out you lot amongst these give-and-take points from my school's starting fourth dimension maths faculty coming together of the yr (sorry, I don't know the master source). What activity would you lot receive got inwards each case? Answers on a postcard please!

5 Maths Gems #50

Hello as well as welcome to my 50^th gems post. This is where I portion v maths didactics ideas.

1. Fractions as well as Percentages from Don Steward
I was incredibly happy to have a retention stick inwards the postal service at the foremost of term - it was sent to me past times Don Steward as well as it contains all of his PowerPoints for Key Stage 3, 4 as well as 5. I'm really grateful to stimulate got access to such fantastic resources. Much of what he sent me is on his blog, precisely alongside his slides I've also flora a few things that I've never seen before. This Fractions to Percentages activity is brilliant. I used it equally a starter for my Year 10s this week. This is i of those wonderful 'works good with whatsoever historic menstruation group' activities.

2. Statistics

I flora a lovely website - Stats The Way I Like It - which was created by Allison Horst of the Bren School of Environmental Science as well as Management.  Most of the content is exclusively relevant to academy score statistics, precisely the clear explanations of hypothesis testing as well as probability density functions mightiness move useful for teachers of S2. This lovely graphic showing the deviation betwixt discrete, continuous as well as qualitative information (from: What Type of Data Do I Have?) may move useful at Key Stage three too:

3. Enrichment 
This calendar week I presented an enrichment lecture at schoolhouse based on ideas from Simon Singh's majority 'The Simpsons as well as their Mathematical Secrets'. I adapted the slides that Simon provides for teachers - if you'd similar to borrow my presentation as well as thus you lot tin download it here. It covers Fermat's Last Theorem, Mersenne primes, perfect numbers, narcissistic numbers, binary numbers as well as rock-paper-scissors. The slides include footage from The Simpsons, Futurama as well as The Big Bang Theory.

To promote my lecture I set upwards posters inwards the Maths Department showing the puzzle pictured above. I was pleased to consider students gathered around the posters trying to solve it. This puzzle plant good for whatsoever historic menstruation grouping - I've seen teachers utterly confused past times it as well as I've seen a 12 twelvemonth onetime solve it inwards seconds! I gave it to a grouping of Year 4 students inwards a principal enrichment session this calendar week - they took a acre to piece of employment it out precisely in i lawsuit they solved it, they all wanted to accept a re-create domicile for their parents to try.

4. Starter Packs
Thanks to Ed Southall (@solvemymaths) for sharing his starter packs. These tin move printed equally A5 booklets thus each pupil has their ain starter pack. As good equally tasks for 'the basics', the packs include a lovely assortment of puzzles. Ed helpfully provides the answers too.

5. Leap Year Maths
It's 29th Feb on Mon - what a cracking chance for some enrichment inwards your maths lessons. I'm planning to exhibit my Year 10s Matt Parker's (@standupmaths) excellent video Leap Years: We Can Do Better.

Source: harjotbal.com

#mathsconf6
I'm looking frontwards to #mathsconf6 side past times side weekend. I'll move inwards Peterborough all twenty-four hours on Fri - if you're staying at the Park Inn as well as thus you lot tin run across me inwards the entrance hall at 7.30pm if you lot desire to bring together me for the pre-conference drinks.

On Sat I'll move running a contest at the Tweet Up - create come upwards along as well as bring together in.