Albany+ Math
Bringing Math To Albany Families
A.K.A.
Family Math Time!!!
Issue #2
Embedded Files
Greetings Albany Families!
At its very essence, mathematics is the study of patterns. Mathematicians do three things:
* Mathematicians NOTICE patterns.
* Mathematicians DESCRIBE patterns.
* Mathematicians GENERALIZE patterns.
One of the most fun ways to interact with math/patterns is through games and puzzles. "Albany+ Math" (A+ Math for short) aims to bring to you fun math activities for the whole family. These games and puzzles are intended to be enjoyed together as a family. Project this page onto your big screen TV and go for it! Family Math Time! These activities can be done cooperatively, in competition, or side by side - whichever your family enjoys more (or whichever method will avoid family conflict!). Some of these activities are aimed towards specific age levels while others accessible to all ages. However, don't let our age recommendations limit you - try anything and everything on this page!
Math is a beautiful thing that is all around us and math is meant to be experienced, explored, and enjoyed! We invite you to join us in the journey of experiencing math together through A+ math this year.
WHICH ONE DOESN'T BELONG?
In each set of 4, which one doesn't belong? How do you know? Are there other possibilities? How many different answers can you come up with?
Discuss, chat, and even argue about which one doesn't belong.
Primary
Intermediate
Middle School
High School
Complete each puzzle by filling in the blanks. Can you find multiple solution?
Primary
MAKE IT EQUAL
Using the digits 1 to 9 at most one time each, place a digit in each box to create a true statement.
Intermediate
MULTI-DIGIT DIVISION
Using the digits 1 through 9 at most one time each,
place a digit in each box to create the smallest whole number quotient possible.
Middle School
MULTIPLYING INTEGERS
Using the integers -9 to 9 at most one time each,
place an integer in each box to make the greatest possible product.
High School
SOLVING QUADRATIC EQUATIONS
Directions: Use only the digits 1-9, each digit only once,
create a problem that has the solutions x = 4 and x = -1/2.
WHAT COMES NEXT?
Find the next 3 terms in the pattern. How do you know? What is the pattern?
* 12, 14, 16, 18, ___, ___, ___
* 10, 20, 30, 40, ___, ___, ___
* 10, 20, 40, 80, ___, ___, ___
* 3, 11, 35, 107, ___, ___, ___
* 1, 8, 27, 64, ___, ___, ___
* J, F, M, A, M, ___, ___, ___
MATH ART CHALLENGE
Looping Colors
Try your hand at this week's Math Art Challenge. Click here for detailed directions.
The Challenge: Draw a long, looping, self-intersecting line that meets back with itself at the start. Avoid having any 3 lines cross at the same intersection (although after a bit it may be fun to play with this). Then, select a color, and start coloring in the spaces created by your line’s intersections.
Can you color it such that you end with every section alternating colors?
MATH GAME -
Traffic Light Game
HOW TO PLAY:
It is a game for two players
It uses a 3×3 squared board – like noughts and crosses (or tic-tac-toe)
It is best played with counters: the game needs about 6 red counters, 6 orange, and 6 green.
The players take turns to play.
When it is your turn to play you must either: place a red counter in an empty square or replace a red counter already on the board with an orange one or replace an orange counter already on the board with a green one.
You win by completing a line (row, column, or diagonal) of three counters all the same color. (Note: it doesn’t matter who placed the first counter(s) in the line – it’s the third counter of the line which determines the winner.)
Here are the directions for Traffic Light as well as some variations.
What do you think the graph is about?
As you slowly advance through the slides
(click the right arrow button),
make predictions about the graph.
ONLINE MATH GAME - SolveMe Mobiles
Imagine a hanging sculpture made with shapes, strings, and beams. The beams and strings are weightless, but the shapes have weights. Sometimes the total weight of the mobile is shown at the top (like the 12 in this puzzle); sometimes there are other clues. Your goal is to figure out the weight that the shapes must be to make the mobile balance.
Here, since the total weight is 12, the weight at each end of the top beam must be 6, so the weight of the hexagon is 6. The total weight of the smaller beam is also 6, so the weight of each circle must be 3.
Play SolveMe Mobiles by clicking this link.
PUZZLE ME THIS, BATMAN!
Order the shapes from lightest to heaviest.
DID YOU KNOW?
* There are 31,557,600 seconds in one year.
* An average person will spend 25 years asleep.
MATH FUNNY FOR YOUR TUMMY!
Q: Why did the student get upset when his teacher called him average?
A: It was a mean thing to say!
Q: Why is six afraid of seven?
A: Because seven eight nine!
Q: Why DID seven eat nine?
A: Because you’re supposed to eat 3 squared meals a day!
Q: Why are parallel lines so tragic if they have so much in common?
A: It’s a shame they’ll never meet.
I call today's art project:
"Total Ellipse of the Heart"
THINK AGAIN!
Math is universal, timeless, and never-changing, right? My mom's math is my grandma's math is my great grandma's math, right?
Sometimes, it's fun and even potentially useful to think about "old" things in new ways. We've always been taught to subtract numbers from right to left. But is it possible to subtract from left to right? Could it possibly be easier to subtract from left to right? Watch this video from Fresno State Professor Howie Hua and decide for yourself!
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