For kids who are learning math.There are four good reasons why students should use calculators. At some arbitrary age, they say, students have “earned the right” or are “old enough” to use calculators for their math schoolwork.
On the other hand, some home school or classroom teachers let their kids do everything with calculators. How should computers be used when teaching or learning math?Not many people disagree about what can happen when kids use calculators too much and too early. They start to depend on it, which makes them lazy with math.
There are, however, some good reasons for math students to use computers. Teachers in the classroom or those who teach at home can do this in a way that improves four parts of math growth.
Calculators can help show how things work.
Teachers can show how numbers repeat and how they are related to fractions. Students can put in different slope values or coefficients to see how the graphs change as they look at linear equation function graphs. The speed of the tool makes it much easier to find trends or rules with numbers. This will be helpful when learning things like algebra.
Calculators can be used to do things in the real world.
Students can use a calculator to do things like measure sizes and apply ideas about area and volume. In the real world, things aren’t measured in whole numbers. In fact, dimensions are messy and hard to work with. Students should start with easy numbers when learning a new idea.
Then, as they see numbers in real life, they move on to decimals and fractions. When kids study area, they will have to work with numbers that make sense, and solving problems will require them to do calculations as quickly and correctly as possible.
Calculators can help you figure out things.
When the distances in a measurement problem aren’t perfect, a calculator can help figure out the answer, but how does the student know if it’s right? This is a chance to use your ability to guess.
How do you know that the number 72.345 on your computer can’t be the answer if you need to find the area of a board that is 12.67 inches long and 3.14 inches wide? Round the measurements up to 13 inches by 3 inches to get a rough estimate. Your answer should be a little more than 39 square inches. Using computers is a great way to practice the skill of guessing first and then figuring out the answer.
Work will involve using calculators.
Math students often wonder how what they are learning in class or at home applies to the real world. If they are given the chance to use the computer correctly in math class, they will learn what a great tool it is.
Calculators make it faster to figure out how to solve a problem, but they can’t think for themselves. They are only as exact as the person who used the right operations and pressed the right keys.
In the future, students will need to be able to properly analyze a situation, come up with a plan for how to solve a problem, use the right tools, come up with a way to check the answer, and clearly explain the results, whether they work for a boss or run their own business. A big part of this process will be using handheld tools or computer apps or programs.
But if kids learn how to use these tools in ways that will help them in the future, they won’t be a crutch.After that, they can use the calculator to figure out the numbers or try different things to see what happens. Then, a good teacher can expect his students to be able to explain why they got the grades they did. The computer is a big part of this process of learning and thinking.
