![]() I told them that they could use whichever method they preferred, once they had tried both methods. This method made more sense to a lot of kids. Every Day Math was the name of the program that the elementary schools adopted that uses the lattice method to teach multiplication. Most-not all.Ī few years ago, when the 'every day math' kids made it to the high school, I added this method to my algebra classes. ![]() Pic 5 This was my go to method for a lot of years. Now they must put in the appropriate plus signs to separate the terms. Then you draw your equal sign (line under all your work so far) any you add the columns. Make sure that 'like' terms are always lined up properly. Pic 3 and 4 Repeat this process for each term of the bottom polynomial if there are more terms. This feels 'normal' to those of us that grew up on this method of multiplication. When they multiply the second term on the bottom by the second term of the top, they will probably find that they need to place it just to the left of the previous term. This marks where they should place the new term they just found. Before you have students write it down, have them look at the first row of their answer. Multiply it by the right hand term of the top. Pic 2 When that row is complete, move to the next term to the left on the bottom polynomial. I have found that kids will insert appropriate minus signs but usually forget the plus signs. Make sure to leave a space between terms (or have the kids insert a + or - sign). Start on the right hand side only because that is where order we learned as kids. Pic #1 Multiply the bottom right term by each individual term of the polynomial above it. Line up the terms like you would if they were just individual numbers. Write the longer (more terms) polynomial on top with the shorter one under it. This method works well for polynomial multiplication. ![]() I still go back to the traditional method that I learned first. In college, I actually learned 5 or 6 other method of multiplying. The middle school teachers tried to un-teach it-to varying degrees of success. My son's were taught the 'lattice' method so I know some people learned different methods first. When most of us were in school, we were taught the same method of multiplying 2 numbers. Then the kids can extrapolate their skills back to the simpler binomial problems. I prefer to work on the higher order problems first. I would not even acknowledge the mnemonic except that the kids have all heard of it before they get to me. It does not have enough letters in the name to allow it to be used as a mnemonic for trinomials or beyond. The kids memorize a procedure-the favorite method around here is F.O.I.L.-and they practice it. Then as an after thought throw in a few higher order problems and expect the kids to extrapolate knowledge that they don't really have. (Some just have made no sense to me so I cannot say that I have actually learned them all.) The problem, as I see it, is that we (math teachers) keep teaching binomial (only 2 terms) multiplication for days on end first. I have made it my goal to learn as many of the methods that I could. Teachers all have their favorite methods of teaching the process. ![]() I have taught math for many years (too many?) and one thing that I have found over the years is that kids have trouble multiplying higher order polynomials.
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