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Math Forum » Discussions » Education » numeracy

Topic: The History of Fractions or That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles
Replies: 6   Last Post: Sep 20, 2005 8:46 PM

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Wayne Watson

Posts: 8
Registered: 12/13/04
The History of Fractions or That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles
Posted: Jun 4, 2005 9:25 AM
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In Norton Juster's "The Phantom Tollbooth", he tells the story of now fractions came to be. It happened a long time ago in a small (and fictional) village while a baker was baking cookies for the school children. One day he dropped a pan of numerals on the floor, and they broke into pieces. What to do? He finally decided to call them fractions. And so that's how fractions came to be. (A little music here.)

Here's my question. I would like to perform a similar story for some students. Where do I find edible cookies or food in the shape of numerals that are easily breakable?

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