A question we often hear from students, is "When am I ever going to use this?" In the second part of our So What? series, we are taking a look at some of the essential learnings in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade math and how they apply to our lives outside of school.
Sixth graders learn different ways to multiply fractions. They discuss diagrams as well as the standard algorithm. Sixth graders also find the area of triangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids. Students will use various methods for discovering formulas for the area of these shapes that will connect to problem solving and reasoning skills that they can use in areas outside of the classroom. It is important for them to learn how to see problems from a new angle in order to find various solutions.
The end sixth grade focuses on statistics and the value of numbers in a data set. Students use this knowledge to understand what different statistics actually mean. They can then solve problems such as predicting who will win an election before all the votes are actually counted.
Seventh grade math includes unit rates and proportions. A rate is a ratio that compares quantities in different units. Rates are commonly found in everyday life. Sometimes students ask, “Where will I ever use this?” The prices in grocery stores and department stores are rates. Rates are also used in pricing gasoline, tickets to a movie or sporting event, in paying hourly wages and monthly fees.
Eighth grade math classes solve multi-step linear equations and identify and model relationships between two variables that have a constant rate of change. Eighth grade also studies systems of linear equations. The ability to model the relationship between variables is critical to understanding how to solve real life problems. Knowing how to compare two situations and how they relate to each other can help us compare them and make a better decision.
Being able to solve a system of equations allows us the answer questions like: When does producing items by machine become cost-effective? and How does the cost of traveling by plane compare to the cost of traveling by car? The level of understanding needed to answer questions like these is expanded in later courses, but 8th grade math builds the foundation for solving systems of linear equations.
Upcoming Events:
- January 7 PTO meeting
- January 16 Wellness fair at LHS
- January 18 End of the first semester
- January 21 No school-professional development
- February 15 Early release
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