MATH STORIES...

Word problems are so intimidating?  I hate them.
Besides,  "What do they even want to know? Why don't they just give me the numbers so I can solve it, already?"     

 I always ask myself, when faced with a word problem, "What is the point of doing a WORD problems? They're so hard."
           Well, it turns out, you need a method, a strategy, or a system ---You need an  approach!  SOMETHING that walks you through with baby steps!  So, here it is. As taught in college.

          1. READ   (do I have to?)
          2.THINK (I don't want to)
          3. ASK    (What do they want to know?!#@%??)
          4. Draw a Picture:  (What?!)  THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART  (Its a college skill)
          5. Decide:  What does the picture tell  me?  How can I solve this. What can I do?
          6. Write out the Equation. Now, Solve.  Is it wrong?   No Problem...
                -- GO BACK AND DO IT AGAIN!    (What? #$%@?)

          7. Back to the Drawing Board.... (I love math) (this is fun...)
          8. YES.  NOW Solve  it again. Victory.
          9. Check  your work  (WHAT! #%@?) omg

That is a long list.  My biggest problem with WORD problems is: They take time.

Unless it's easy, I don't like it: WE HAVE TO GET OVER THAT.
    That's the mistake we make in MATH:  Thinking we can cut corners, and cheat our way to the answer... Doesn't work like that..   ..that voice: " I don't want to do this. I can't do this" ---
It's the obstacle standing between us and crushing it in the math world. WE CAN DO It;  We do know it.. We just have to buckle down and draw a PICTURE

THIS SPRING
I needed to build three composting worm boxes for red compost worms. I ordered them from Pennsylvania... Now, I had to figure out how to build a worm box.  I suddenly realized: "This is why we have word problems."  Building worm boxes was a word problem.
TURNS OUT, LIFE IS A WORD PROBLEM!!

 
HERE'S A FUNNY VIDEO  about MATH,  that I LOVE

                             Mathematics:   Is a science.

 It describes shape, quantity, and arrangement.

 Math explores the world around us.


     Who was Pythagoras? A teacher. What did he teach us?

. 

What is pi?    

 It's not just a Greek letter. 
Did you know that no matter what size the CIRCLE:

If you divide its Circumference by it's diameter

 you will get pi (3.14),  

 o     O  o     O       

Well how do you find the  CIRCUMFERENCE (C) of a CIRCLE?               (distance around)

       And how do you find the DIAMETER (d)  OF A CIRCLE?                       (distance across)

O

1. fIRST FIND THE DIAMETER:  You need a ruler, and a Circle.  Measure straight across the center of the circle:  that's the diameter

2..  SECOND USE THE CIRCUMFERENCE formula (it works, trust me).

        Circumference = diameter * pi    (C = d * pi)

 Well what is pi?    You tell me!!                                                      (I'm confused)

(pi = 3.14)                                                          IF                                                             

  C = d * pi     [Algebra]  THEN   pi = C/d  (you divided both sides by d)

                             

Try it!!   

     Start Here:

               Measuring across a circle with a ruler-- you get 10 centimeters.     (diameter)

        

                If  you GOOGLE  "pi"    you get  3.1415...

         WE JUST USE  3.14 = pi        OK?

   diameter = 10 centimeters (cm)   and pi = 3.14

C = d* pi

Circumference = diameter * pi

C = 10 cm * 3.14  (do the math)

10 cm * 3.14  =   31.4 cm

     

SO THIS CIRCLE HAS A CIRCUMFERENCE OF 31.4 centimeters (cm)?

YES

 (Why?    because... you need to go back and find out)

          NOW THE FUN STUFF:    

                                     
pi  =  Circumference

                                             diameter                       (YES! see above)

       Three CIRCLES: 

#1. circumference is 6.28 cm  and diameter is  2 cm

                   

               6.28 cm/2cm  = 3.14

 

 

#2. circumference is 18.6 cm  and diameter is   6 cm

                    

                 18.6 cm  = 3.14    

6 cm

   

#3. circumference is  15.5 cm   and diameter is  5 cm

  

                  15.5 cm   = 3.14

   5 cm

 ITS A CIRCLE: 

C = d * pi                   C / d = pi

     

      So, who cares?   Well, this is where they got pi. And it works for any circle.   Pi is called a ratio because ratio means divide and you divide Circumference of a circle by its diameter to get pi.                                

 

                    Voila!     A Ratio         (...and remember, a fraction is just a division problem...)