Identifying patterns is a crucial skill for all mathematicians, young and old. Explore the multiplication table with your class, using patterns and symmetry to teach about square numbers, prime numbers, and the commutative and identity...

There are many ways to approach finding the rational approximation of an unknown square root. Here is a problem that will help math learners make a connection between square roots and their order on a number line. As usual, determine two...

These may not all be your cup of tea, but you'll likely find some gold in this math games packet. Find brief, easy-to-execute games (like Integer Football) and that are perfect for review or even a substitute teacher plan. 

How do the area and perimeters of circles and squares compare? A clever video illustrates the change in the area of a circle and square while their total perimeter stays the same. The task is for learners to predict the point where the...

This quick set of problems provides a brief refresher on the arithmetic of complex numbers. Learners need to multiply, add and subtract, and remember features of i when raised to a power. Included solutions are clear enough that...

Eight different numbers are listed for mathematics masters to analyze. They simply tell if each number is rational or irrational. They can also explain their reasoning. A simple and straightforward worksheet that is a handy tool for...

Mathematicians need to know that not all numbers are rational. We approximate irrational number with rational numbers. That is why a calculator may be misleading. This task give learners an opportunity to see how rounding a number and...

No calculators! Assure your learners that they can find the square root of a large number. All they need are two known squares close by and a table. Come up with an additional practice and your number crunchers will have it mastered in...

There are four irrational numbers that participants need to graph. Pi(π), -(½ x π), and √17 are easy to approximate with common rational numbers. On the other hand, the commentary describing the irrational number 2√2 is not...

Review the vocabulary from Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea with a magic squares activity. To find the magic number, readers match the numbers on a grid with the words and definitions from the novel.

Does a calculator give you the exact value of the square root of 2? Here, learners must decide if 1.414236 is equal to the square root of 2. They must also explain why the square root of 2 could never be equal to a terminating decimal....

What better way to engage children in a math lesson than by talking about ice cream? Using a pocket chart or piece of chart paper, the class works together creating a bar graph of the their favorite ice cream flavors. Learners then work...

In this multi-faceted introduction to pi, participants perform a bevy of pi-related activities. Ranging from measuring household items to singing pi songs and reading pi stories, this fun and non-intimidating resource serves to bring up...

Functions behaving badly: the squaring function and the absolute value function are both zero at x=0. Yet when you divide each by x, different things happen. Here, your class will explore each scenario as a means to adding depth to their...

All shapes have certain defining attributes that set them apart from others. In order to understand this, young mathematicians look at examples and non-examples of triangles, rectangles, and squares, working as a whole class to create...

Potty humor is always a big hit with the school-age crowd, and potty algebra takes this topic to a whole new level. Here the class develops a model that connects the dimensions (radii, paper thickness, and length of paper) of a...

Learning that size and orientation don't affect the classification of shapes is a big step for young mathematicians. Support children with developing this key understanding by looking at the array of shapes included in this resource. For...

Algebra learners must know how to use rational numbers to approximate irrationals. This resource asks participants to decide which number is larger without using a calculator. It makes a great exercise to use as a five-minute transition...

Challenge your class to construct a definition for trapezoids. Looking at four examples and four non-examples, students individually create definitions and use them to classify an unknown shape. Allow for small group and whole-class...

Third graders are exposed to finding the area of polygons by decomposing figures and recomposing them into rectangles. This strategy allows children to expand on their prior knowledge of constructing shapes by rearranging parts into...

Is 4 plus the square root of 2 rational or irrational? After your class has gained a basic grasp of rational and irrational numbers, use this worksheet to push them a little further in their understanding. Learners must identify sums and...

Your class is to find the percent of the lot that is not covered by a house. Make sure your pupils understand the problems before they begin. The lot is the whole of the percent problem and the house is the part. The exercise is good...

Learners rewrite a general quadratic function by completing the square to see a new form of the function that more easily identifies the x-coordinate of the vertex and the two roots of the function.

Catching men made of gingerbread motivates your young graphers to begin exploring the concept of finding a point in two-dimensional space. Learners practice locating each cookie by rolling two cubes (one with...