What does this mistake reveal about the kid’s thinking? How would you take the kid’s thinking to the next level?
Why is this mistake so attractive for students to make? If you saw this mistake in your classroom, what would your next step be?
What’s the nature of this student’s mistake? Is it the sort of mistake that the kid would make given a linear equation to solve, or is the mistake particular to the trig context? How might you help the kiddo?
Where did this kid go wrong? What does it reveal about his understanding of solving equations? What is your next step for him?
Where did the kid get 48 from? How would you help him, err, not get 48 in the future?
What’s the misconception? But what does the student know? How would you bridge the gap?
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Call for submissions
If you find yourself around kids on a regular basis, consider putting math problems in front of them. Consider collecting those math problems, and taking a picture* of the ones that they mess up. If you do all that, and send it in to me, we’ll help build a database of student work that is unparalleled. It will be of immense use to students and teachers.
Send the messages to mathmistakes@gmail.com. We’ll send you a thank you note, and a free subscription to the Math Mistakes website.**
*If you don’t feel comfortable taking pictures of student work, or if your district has rules forbidding it, then consider taking a second to copy down their work and sending it in.
** That’s a joke.
The mistake is clear. Why is this mistake so damned tempting, and how would you help?
Here are the questions:
Here are the student answers:
What’s he messing up on? Focus in on #2. How did he get 11 as his answer?
Clearly, the student’s work has more than one issue. But what issues doesn’t it have? What does the student clearly know that you could build on? What’s something that he clearly needs to work on, and how would you help?