At what age or grade level do you think a child should be able to answer this....?

Question

"Jenny placed some jacks in a circle. Ann picked up 2 jacks from the circle. After Ann picked up the 2 jacks, there were fewer than 4 jacks in the circle. Write a subtraction number sentence that fits this math story."

I'm just asking because it was in my first grader's workbook. She can do simple math equations, but she just couldn't understand this for the life of her. I thought is was a little difficult for a 6 year old to figure out. Just looking for other opinions.

Answer 1

At least by third grade.

Answer 2

There are many simple problem solving tecniques that could be used to demonstrate the answer to this problem.
To prove that the original (starting) number was 5 jacks. The problem will need to be broken down.

First: Okay - the girl in the story picks up 2 of these jacks.

Next:Think about "fewer than 4 jacks" - this is a reference to the result of Ann picking up 2 jacks. Fewer than 4 jacks in the circle instantly tells me that the number of jacks left in the circle is 3.

With that in mind - take your answer - 3 and add it to the 2 jacks that Ann picked up and you will come up with the original starting figure of 5 jacks.

It probably looked daunting to start with, but if you try to break the problem down into smaller parts, it may be a little easier to understand.

I hope this has been of use to you.

Answer 3

My daughter is also 6 & in the first grade. I think with a little bit of help my daughter could figure this out. But, the part that gets to me is "there were fewer than 4 jacks in the circle". That seems like kind of a trick question for a 6 year old. I think they would over look the "fewer" part and only see the "4" that is printed in actual numbers & not words. I'm going to present this problem to my daughter this evening and see if she can figure it out on her own or not. Maybe she will suprise me.

It does seem a little difficult for a 6 year old in my opinion also.

Answer 4

What exactly is the teacher looking for? Any subtraction sentence such as 5-2=3, or a subtraction sentence that fits every situation such as x-2<4? For the first situation, 1st grade sounds about right AFTER explanation, but for the second, I taught that in 4th grade last year.

Answer 5

from a 6 yr old, 6-2, 5-2, 4-2, 3-2, and 2-2. Id say that it is the idea of creating a subtraction problem without a number given, only a range, is the problem with your daughter is having.

Answer 6

I know it seems tough, but with the new standards based instruction models in todays' schools, everything is being pushed into the lower grades. I am an education major in college - my junior year right now - and I am even stunned by the material that we are putting in the lower grade levels.The best advice I could give you is to work with your child on these kind of problems .Children who get help in the home setting are so much better off than those who do not. Teachers much teach according to the standards listed for their students to meet, they have no other choice. You may want to meet with your child's teacher to go over your concerns, just remember: the teacher cannot change the standards. If you are concerned that the standards are too tough for young students, you could write to your state's legislators or get on other parent action councils. Hope this helps =)
PS - your daughter may fare better with these kind of activities if real objects are used.

Answer 7

Wow, that is pretty difficult for a 1st grader..My 11 yo has always been in the highest math class at school and he was doing that at the end of 2nd and beginning of 3rd! Maybe speak to the teacher ans the teacher may be able to explain it in a different way? Good luck!

Answer 8

I would defiantly think 3rd grade. 2nd at the most! I think it's a good thing though to start early on these kinds of problems. Is it for actual graded homework?

Things change I guess every year when it comes to school. If you wanted you could probably talk to her teacher and see what exactly is the guidelines now days for first graders and ask for advice on how to get your daughter to understand these things better.

Good Luck--I'm so nervous for when I have to deal with that!

Answer 9

I'd say that would be set out for a child of about nine or ten years old. Kids as young as six need things laid out for them simply since they are only beginning to come to grips with number work. The language in this story is quite difficult for a small child and they might have problems working out what is being asked of them.

Answer 10

using a calculator in school varies extraordinarily, highly from united states of america to united states of america. There are faculties I easily were to in yet another united states of america in which using calculators are stricly forbidden - to which I ca see wher they are coming from. i have self belief that no longer utilizing the calculator has the best potential to boost independant-questioning skills - the baby figures issues out for themselves, devoid of pushing some buttons to bare an answer. no longer utilizing a calculator also fairly checks the mind - it receives human beings questioning, while gaining understanding of a repeated habitual to respond to a particular form of maths question only checks the memory of a paticlular series in which the buttions must be pressed. I belive that it really is had to boost maths skills as a lot as conceivable - as youthful as conceivable, and that calculators must be left for later eg. very last years of secondary college, by skill of which students would have mastered key skills in which they recognize a calculator isn't needed, yet are waiting to apply a calculator for trigonometry etc. (searching numbers up in a table will be truly time ingesting! and unbeneficial). As a further subject matter, component like own potential will be pronounced yet I easily have given my elementary view of ways todays society 'takes issues with no interest' and would right now change into 'lazy'. in spite of the indisputable fact that, the different aspect of the argument is that - what were calculatos created for? and as we are getting further and extra depedant on technologies - why no longer use it from an exceedingly youthful age?

Answer 11

first grade...if she is having trouble with it then get some concrete objects to represent the circle and jacks and do the problem with her then work on the subtraction number sentence so she can see what is being done