Hi all,
My personal reflection is that I have learnt a lot in improving my Math concepts which we didn't get to master even as a university graduate.
In general, for the past few tutorials, IMO, the questions raised in the tutorials in teaching were covered and discussed but some methods of getting the answer and answers were flashed over too quickly for us to copy down.
An example would be Find last 3 digits 1995^1995. It would be good if the answers to these questions are also available after they have been covered online or otherwise.
IMHO, for today's tutorial, too much time was spent in explaining the multiplication of negative numbers. It would be easier and faster to explain division and then multiplication of negative numbers using the same concept instead of multiplication then division so that the remaining questions are not rushed over.
The tutorials can also be made available earlier after the lectures so we can have time to try the questions before the tutorial and more specific deadlines and expectations for assignments and submission should be announced.
Despite this, I can sense your passion in imparting the teaching of concepts instead of just technical skills and formulae and also salute your desire to improve our tutorial. Hope you will keep it up!! =)
Say for -1 X (-1) =1, we can represent -1 X (-1) as 0 -1 X (-1): zero take away one negative 1, and then use one zero pair of algedics to show what is left after taking away one negative 1. Extend this to -3 X (-2) by taking away three negative 2 from six zero pairs.
ReplyDeleteFor (-6)/2, consider the case of 6/2 = 3. We can write this equivalently as 6 = 3 X 2, i.e. adding three 2 to zero will give you 6. Likewise for -6/2, we can take away three 2 from six zero pairs to get -6, i.e.
0 -3 X 2 = -3 X 2 = - 6. In other words, -6/2 = -3. We can consistently use this to also show 6/-2 = -3, i.e. take away three -2 from six zero pairs to get 6.
It is noted that multiplication and division of integers are related. In fact the way 6/-2 is explained can be used for -3 X (-2).