These fun, engaging books are comprised of 3 types of math puzzles. The puzzles sharpen students' critical thinking, computational, and algebraic reasoning skills.
1. |
Balance Math Puzzles require students to analyze balances to deduce the missing value |
2. |
Inside-Out Math Puzzles require students to reverse their thinking, using the inverse relationships between addition and subtraction and multiplication and division to solve the puzzle. |
3. |
Tic Tac Math Puzzles require students to figure out the correct order to complete all rows, columns, and diagonals. |
Each Balance Math & More! book focuses on a different set of math concepts:
• Level 1 (Grades 2-5) focuses on addition and subtraction of whole numbers.
• Level 2 (Grades 4-12) focuses on multiplication and division of whole numbers, but has a few problems involving fractions.
• Level 3 (Grades 6-12+) involves addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication as well as fractions and decimals.
Each book's spiraling difficulty level is designed to scaffold a student's conceptual understanding of the targeted operations. Teaching suggestions and detailed solutions are included in each book. Try one of these intriguing puzzles—and then try to stop!
Balance Math™ Teaches Algebra! makes understanding equations and solving word problems easy and fun! Introducing algebra through balanced scales is a natural and exciting way to conceptually master fundamental algebraic ideas. The book's visually-simple approach engages students intuitively in step-by-step thinking. The puzzle-like problems ensure students are cognitively involved while they hone their techniques of simplifying, substituting, and writing proofs to solve simultaneous equations. Balance Math™ Teaches Algebra! is designed to move from simple to complex, with lessons scaffolding on earlier learning. Teaching suggestions and solutions are included.