5 Maths Gems #10

Have you lot ever wondered where the give-and-take mathematics comes from? Me neither. But this is genuinely quite interesting:

Latin mathematica was a plural noun, which is why mathematics has an -s at the terminate fifty-fifty though nosotros usage it every bit a singular noun. Latin had taken the give-and-take from Greek mathematikos, which inward plow was based on mathesis. That word, which was also borrowed into English linguistic communication but is at nowadays archaic, meant "mental discipline" or "learning", peculiarly mathematical learning. The Indo-European root is mendh- "to learn." Plato believed no 1 could endure considered educated without learning mathematics. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 polymath is a individual who has learned many things, non simply mathematics (source: Math Forum).

So my boyfriend polymaths, here's my weekly maths gems. Creative maths teaching ideas, inspired past times the keen minds of Twitter.

1. Etymology

On Tuesday developing maths vocabulary before but at nowadays I own got a novel thought to share.

There's keen value inward talking to students most the etymology (origin) of mathematical words every bit they arise. It helps students brand connections as well as builds on their agreement of mathematics. Our role every bit teachers is to enrich our students' lives alongside knowledge, as well as noesis of etymology is both interesting as well as important. This fantastic article (a must read!) says "Etymology provides a security cyberspace of de-mystification. When all the words you lot listen are novel as well as confusing, or when those around you lot lay quondam words to foreign purposes, a grounding inward etymology may help".

Thanks to @CParkinson535 for telling me most etymonline.com. I've taken the next excerpts from this website, simply to give you lot an thought of the sort of affair you lot could portion alongside your students:

• hexagon (n.) 1560s, from Latin hexagonum, from Greek hexagonon, from hex "six" + gonia "angle" (see knee).
• locus (n.) (plural loci), 1715, "locality," from Latin locus "a place, spot, position," from Old Latin stlocus, literally "where something is placed," Mathematical feel past times 1750.
• vector (n.) "quantity having magnitude as well as direction," 1846; before "line joining a fixed dot as well as a variable point," 1704, from Latin vector "one who carries or conveys, carrier" (also "one who rides"), agent substantive from past times participle stalk of vehere "carry, convey" (see vehicle). 
• binomial 1550s (n.); 1560s (adj.), from Late Latin binomius "having 2 personal names," a hybrid from bi- (see bi-) + nomius, from nomen. Taken upward 16c. inward the algebraic feel "consisting of 2 terms."

Thanks also to @the_chalkface for sharing the listing of words below, most of which I'd never heard of. Although nosotros should e'er elbow grease to usage accurate mathematical vocabulary when we're teaching, some of these words may endure a pace likewise far!

2. Plickers

I've never paid much attending to interactive voting systems before because my schoolhouse doesn't ain the necessary devices. The thought is that students simultaneously respond to a multiple choice inquiry or sentiment poll using a wireless system. The instructor tin get together as well as analyse their responses instantly.

I can't give my ain sentiment on their effectiveness every bit a teaching tool, but benefits are listed here as: improved attentiveness, increased noesis retention; poll anonymously (unlike a demonstrate of hands); rails private responses; display polling results immediately; practise an interactive as well as fun learning environment; confirm audience agreement of fundamental points immediately; get together information for reporting as well as analysis. So they are similar to mini-whiteboards for formative assessment, but they own got some clear advantages. The primary disadvantage is the buy as well as maintenance cost. 

posts most Plickers lately as well as am keen to seek it out. Plickers is a free app for your telephone or tablet. Print as well as distribute voting cards and enquire students to concur upward their carte du jour inward the right orientation to betoken their answer. Scan the room alongside your telephone to collect the data. You tin charge upward questions as well as students' names on the user-friendly Plickers website. 

I've read some keen ideas to brand this operate good inward maths. One is to permanently stick the cards to the dorsum of students' books (from blog post. It plant similar this: practise a true/false board inward your classroom as well as stick a tilt on it that represents a mutual misconception. Underneath the inquiry are 2 pocket-size whiteboards - 1 for students to write their elevate if they retrieve the tilt is true, the other for students who retrieve the tilt is false. What I similar most this thought is that students tin easily switch their reply from 1 board to the other if they larn something that changes their mind. At the terminate of the calendar week the reply is revealed as well as discussed. Helpfully, Amy's post service provides some event statements to acquire you lot started.