From: Ian (for Teacher2Teacher Service)
Date: Aug 14, 2005 at 16:54:05
Subject: Re: GCSE Coursework (Number Grid Investigation),3D cubes rule I despereatley need

Hi Jamie,

>I have just finished my first year of teaching mathematics and at the end
>of this year,I set my year 10 (set 1) GCSE Mathematics group,their first
>peice of coursework,the number grid investigation (in the aqa syllabus -
>Module 4).In this particular coursework you have to multiply the corners
>of number grids and try to find a pattern and find a formula in the
>diifference of the two ansewers.I have already got the formula for
>squares and rectangles but I am stuck on 3D cubes and reallly need this
>formula,so that when my students come back after the summer I can help
>them to find the formula.Because it's needed to get an A/A* grade in
>their coursework,which for top set students I feel they're capable of.I
>would really appreciate help,guidnace and the formaula if possibe.

I'm not familiar the the syllabus you're using, so I can't give you any
specific help with the problem you're stuck on. 

However, it seems to me that it would be better for you to work through the
problem _with_ your students, so they can see how _you_ approach it.  They're
likely to get a lot more benefit from that, than from working through the
problem knowing that you already know the answer, and suspecting (in this
case correctly) that you got the answer using sources of help not available
to them. 

After all, what they're supposed to be learning in school is how to figure
out what to do when they don't know what to do.  In 12 years of elementary
and secondary education, how often do they get to see that modeled?  If you
play your cards right, you might end up giving them the single most useful
educational experience of their lives. 

 -Ian, for the T2T service


Thanks for visiting our on-line community.  
Visit Teacher2Teacher again at http://mathforum.org/t2t/ 

It is now possible to make a financial contribution to help The Math Forum.
Please read more about this possibility:
http://www.drexel.edu/ia/mathforum/.

Post a public discussion message
Ask Teacher2Teacher a new question