tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3735309683126458126.post9158693319700303663..comments2024-02-09T03:19:33.181-05:00Comments on A Lever and a Place to Stand: On Using Scientific NotationAmy Roedigerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114636944219127418noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3735309683126458126.post-91213813822966786862016-07-19T21:38:16.845-04:002016-07-19T21:38:16.845-04:00Instruction addresses the deficit. Most do know t...Instruction addresses the deficit. Most do know the idea. Most students after a few practice problems and board work do get the idea. The penalty only happens if a student has not been paying attention.Mrs. Widgethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00574837619339009800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3735309683126458126.post-26159178440568040772016-07-17T15:35:46.652-04:002016-07-17T15:35:46.652-04:00I agree that the students have been taught scienti...I agree that the students have been taught scientific notation. And that if they are penalized for writing the wrong thing, they will [probably] start to write the right thing. My worry, though, is that writing the wrong thing indicates a deficit in their understanding. A penalty doesn't address that. What does?Amy Roedigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10114636944219127418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3735309683126458126.post-643378959080748482016-07-17T15:35:24.494-04:002016-07-17T15:35:24.494-04:00I too am all for kids arriving at answers in diffe...I too am all for kids arriving at answers in different and creative ways. And in doing problems in a way that makes sense to them. The trouble in this particular case is that when a student types in 3.6 x 10^-4 ÷ 1.2 x 10^-6, the calculator will not calculate what they mean because they don't use the EE button. Instead of the correct answer, they will be off a factor of 1,000,000 becaus ethe calculator will have multiplies a quotient of the first 3 things by 10^-6.<br /><br />My struggle here isn't really about how to get them to use their calculators or what they should record on the paper. I think I do a pretty good job at both of those things. My worry is what do we do to help students understand what scientific notation represents. To provide, as you put it above, a real context so they can understand and appropriately judge their answers.Amy Roedigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10114636944219127418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3735309683126458126.post-45602719036825752052016-07-17T13:19:27.331-04:002016-07-17T13:19:27.331-04:00The idea that students have been taught scientific...The idea that students have been taught scientific notation is an interesting one. In the mathematics books I teach from, there is no real context for the lesson. By "real context" I mean to say that typically the book has students convert the average distance from the sun for several planets from kilometers to millimeters or something that shows how to use scientific notation rules but lacks any real physics or chemistry muscle. There might be a good case to be made for having students give answers in a 3-column table: calculator result, scientific notation, and full numeric notation. As an example: 3.6 e -14: 3.6x10^-14; 0.000000000000036. <br /><br />And to the point of worrying that the kids are not using the calculator in the most efficient manner by their refusal to embrace the EE key, let them do it the way that makes sense to them. I cringe when my daughter cuts meat with a knife and fork because she does not do it the way I do it--the right way. She is inefficient and makes chunks that are terrible looking. The food slides all over the plate and I have considered eating at a different time so I don't have to witness the carnage. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16979238645430951040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3735309683126458126.post-10056738094579206482016-07-16T14:07:51.150-04:002016-07-16T14:07:51.150-04:00I had that issue. First I went to our math people...I had that issue. First I went to our math people, they swore up and down that they taught what the e meant. Then I tell my students when they start having to do mole conversions, this is when it show ups; "stands for exponent," on what it means, give examples and then hit them with the killer.<br /><br />"if you put the "e" in the answer, I do not care how beautiful the rest of your work is, I will give you a zero because you obviously do not know the answer and are just copying. There will be no partial credit. Be smarter than the calculator." <br /><br />Mrs. Widgethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00574837619339009800noreply@blogger.com