Singapore Math Rod Diagrams

[Closeacademy]

Am I missing something?

On the yahoo group they discuss like mad how hard these things are to understand but they seem fairly self-explanitory. Am I missing something?

They show the rods and the numbers that the rods are supposed to represent and you need to find the missing number--right?

We just started these and I feel like I am either missing something or it is so simple that it is almost silly. So fill me in.:confused:

[chai]

IMHO, they really are that simple.

I went through the same thoughts that you had. But, I have a math mind, so perhaps it's different for others.

[Myrtle]

Am I missing something?

On the yahoo group they discuss like mad how hard these things are to understand but they seem fairly self-explanitory. Am I missing something?

They show the rods and the numbers that the rods are supposed to represent and you need to find the missing number--right?

We just started these and I feel like I am either missing something or it is so simple that it is almost silly. So fill me in.:confused:

It really depends on what level and what kinds of word problems you are working with. The ones in the third grade do seem obvious to me and I think that's the whole point. You start when it's easy and the increments in difficulty are so slight over the next few years that you only realize that it is difficult when people jumping into the middle of the program have problems with it.

In later grades when there are multiple steps involved, especially when dealing with fractions and ratio, you will find yourself at least temporarily stumped every now and then.

[Closeacademy]

Thanks, I was wondering about this especially since I would not consider myself a math person. I was a C student in High school math but took all the math I could and tested into the Math major class for college. Singapore has really be a lot of fun and I have been honing in those math skills.

Thanks again.:)

[Kalah]

Thanks for posting this, Myrtle! I thought I was the only one having problems with 7th grade math! I get the ratios in 6a just fine, it's the IP problems I'm having a huge problem with. I'm stumped. No, I'm worse than stumped and feeling really remedial. It's good to know that I'm not the only one that finds some of these problems, um, challenging. :o) I knew I should have paid more attention to math in school!

[WendyK]

It isn't totally confusing to me, but it isn't the way I learned how to deal with math and I'm not a visual learner. So for me I sometimes feel distracted by it. I do try to incorporate the concept though because my son seems to be responding well to it.

[mcconnellboys]

Well, it does get harder, LOL, but hopefully you'll be ready for it when it comes. There are some complex problems in the level 6 challenging word problems, for instance, but if you're starting Singapore at a lower level then hopefully the steps to breaking down such problems will be old hat to you by the time you get to the upper level, more difficult problems. There were one or two in there that my husband and I just could not figure out how to do without algebra when we went through the first time with my older son. But now that I'm going through the programming again, it's gotten much easier for me so I'm hopeful I won't be stumped any this time around,

Regena