Classroom Questions

Questions for ‘Viewing math as a language might help it make sense to more of us’ 

A white man with dark hair and glasses is smiling and standing in front of a chalkboard full of cute drawings and math formulas

Ben Orlin knows not everyone loves math like he does. But this author and teacher hopes that finding different ways to think about math can help lessen the anxiety it triggers for many people.

Rayleen Tritt

By Science News Explores

To accompany ‘Viewing math as a language might help it make sense to more of us‘

SCIENCE

Before Reading:

  1. What feelings come up when you think about studying for a math test? Explain your answer.
  2. “Mathematics is the science which uses easy words for hard ideas,” American mathematician Edward Kasner once wrote. Briefly explain what you think Kasner means in this quote.

During Reading:

  1. What criticism does Tom Crawford express about how math is typically taught today?
  2. Ben Orlin says that a number — on its own — lacks meaning. To give a number “identity,” what must it be combined with?
  3. Give one example of counting done by human ancestors.
  4. What is a base 10 system for counting? Give one theory for why humans developed a base 10 system.
  5. Explain why the term “eighteen” is an example of humans using a base 10 system. (Hint: Break the word into two parts and explain the meaning of each half.)
  6. List three examples of mathematical operations.
  7. Give an example of a preposition that Orlin links to the plus sign in 2+3. Explain Orlin’s reasoning for this comparison.
  8. How does Orlin suggest that negative numbers can be represented with words? Choose one example and write a sentence using it.
  9. Give one example of how teaching students math with a more of a language-focused approach might present an obstacle for some learners.
  10. What is chaos theory? What is one work of fiction that discusses this idea?

After Reading:

  1. Imagine you are an alien species that developed a base 4 system for counting. Briefly describe your fictional alien species. Feel free to be creative! Include in your description one reason this species came up with a base 4 system for counting.
  2. Create a symbol for the fictional alien species you described above to represent the number 4. Considering this species uses a base 4 system for counting, how might these aliens use this symbol to communicate the concept of the number 8 to other aliens? Expand this idea into a simple language of symbols that you can use to communicate the following numbers: 4, 8, 10 and 400. Find a partner. Take turns sharing your new math language. Then, work individually to come up with a symbol to represent the number 16 in both your math language and your partner’s. Compare your answers.
  3. Do you think a language-focused approach to math education would increase, decrease or not affect your comprehension of mathematical concepts? Briefly explain your answer.