tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8231784566931768362.post7579178501786307899..comments2023-09-09T08:21:55.454-04:00Comments on MathNotations: Middle School or SAT Math Activity - The Four Factors ProblemDave Marainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13321770881353644307noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8231784566931768362.post-5001379329561896822009-02-25T20:31:00.000-05:002009-02-25T20:31:00.000-05:00I tried this today with my middle schoolers. Good...I tried this today with my middle schoolers. Good stuff as always. <BR/><BR/>I linked to you from my <A HREF="http://mathmomblog.wordpress.com/2009/02/25/numbers-with-exactly-four-factors/" REL="nofollow">post</A> but I don't see the trackback here, so I guess I'll just post a regular comment...mathmomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05869925405540832241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8231784566931768362.post-28856530454002713092007-12-07T21:54:00.000-05:002007-12-07T21:54:00.000-05:00tc, eric--I would be interested in seeing which st...tc, eric--<BR/>I would be interested in seeing which states' standards include Number Theory as a 'focal point' throughout all the grades, developed each year with more complexity. I'm sure some form of this exists somewhere but not at the level you're suggesting. Most often, the phi function and its multiplicative nature would only be seen by students engaged in math competition preparation.<BR/><BR/>denise--<BR/>Thank you for those comments. Yes, you nailed the 2 categories. <BR/>My experience in working with all grade levels and ability levels makes it slightly easier for me to develop a sequence of questions of increasing difficulty. MathCounts and the Art of Problem Solving challenges have exceptional problems for students to chew on, but they tend to be geared to the higher ability student or require more development for other students. Although I try to leave the more challenging parts of these open-ended questions until the end, this process is never simple for me. I depend on other educators like you to try these out and suggest revisions that would make them better.Dave Marainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13321770881353644307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8231784566931768362.post-37914505886973437392007-12-07T19:52:00.000-05:002007-12-07T19:52:00.000-05:00Oh, we were just working on this sort of problem i...Oh, we were just working on this sort of problem in my Math Counts class. I drew my problems from an Art of Problem Solving article, but they were too hard---only one student really understood everything. Your problems are better targeted for my kids. Perhaps I will use them as a review when we come back after our Christmas break.<BR/><BR/>(a) I didn't take the time to do this part, but this is what I think would make a good review for my students. <BR/><BR/>(b) The two categories will be "prime times prime" and "prime cubed." Right?<BR/><BR/>(c) The largest 2-digit "prime times prime" is 95 = 5 x 19.Denise in ILhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11928843626113889088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8231784566931768362.post-283836630321721852007-12-06T08:59:00.000-05:002007-12-06T08:59:00.000-05:00I wonder if this problem can be expressed as a req...I wonder if this problem can be expressed as a requirement on the Euler totient (or phi) function. Does not seem obvious since Euler deals with relatively primes.<BR/><BR/>I do not have a solution.<BR/><BR/><BR/>TCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8231784566931768362.post-25075448572404143612007-12-05T21:10:00.000-05:002007-12-05T21:10:00.000-05:00Do you think the concept of 'multiplicative functi...Do you think the concept of 'multiplicative function' is accessible to HS students?Eric Jablowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16327238795785012303noreply@blogger.com