Assembly tomorrow

So we'll miss our Math class. Have a great holiday!

Equivalent Ratios

Please finish the worksheet 10-2 for homework.

And don't forget to complete your Vocabulary foldable. It needs to contain the following words:

• ratio
• rate
• unit rate
• proportion
• Multiplication Property of Equality
• cross products

Math in the Mall

Complete the five questions on the worksheet handed out in class.

First figure out the discount for each item bought. Then, you will need to figure the sales tax.

Discount Records

Everyone loves a sale! Finish up solving how much people spent and saved on the worksheet handed out in class.

Get a good bargain lately? Tell us about it.

Group Homework

Please refer to what group you were in for your homework tonight.

Pre-algebra students are completing questions 1-18 on the review sheet for percents, fractions and decimals.

Speech Competition

Win glory for your house and points towards your Humanities grade.

Entries are being called for this year's speech competition. Write a 2-minute speech on the topic of your choice for a chance to represent your house in next Wednesday's competition.

Students who submit a speech tomorrow will be forgiven their lowest grade in Humanities.

Groups

Core Group: Please complete homework handed out by Mrs. Forster.

Pre-Algebra Group: Complete 1-19 odd on sheet 5.8, Solving Multiplication Equations

Two Part Math Class

As part of a review, your groups were split in Math class.

Mrs. Forster's core group will complete worksheet #2

Ms. Larson's pre-algebra group will complete the Enrichment worksheet on adding and subtracting equations.

Study your conversions

Look at Tuesday's post and follow the link to the interactive game. Be sure to review for a 'pop' quiz tomorrow.

Fractions to Decimals

We continued to work on converting fractions to decimals.

Need to convert a fraction to a decimal?
Divide the numerator into the denominator

⅔ = 2 divided by 3 = 0.66

Need to convert a decimal to a fraction?
Say the decimal. Place the decimal over the denominator you say, and then reduce.

0.25 = twenty-five hundredths = 25/100 = 1/4

Practice more with this BBC game.

For homework, finish questions 23 - 34.

Review Worksheet

Please go over some of the core lessons from the skills we've learned over the last week.

Finish the worksheet handed out in class. We'll go over it tomorrow morning.

Test on Wednesday

Please make sure that you are studying for tomorrow's test. It will cover the following:

LCM
Comparing Fractions
Adding and Subtracting Fractions
Multiplying & Dividing Fractions

Remember, a completed study guide is worth 5 extra points!

Multiplying and Dividing Fractions

Complete worksheet 5-4, all odd numbers.

Adding and Subtracting Fractions

When adding or subtracting proper fractions, follow these steps:

1. Find the lowest common denominator -- or the LCM of the denominators.
2. Add the numerators
3. Simplify (reduce or change to a mixed number)

But what if you are adding mixed numbers?

1. Change your fractions into improper fractions
2. Follow from step 1 above.

Still have questions? Visit this tutorial.

Homework: 5-1 Q 1-6, 9-11, 13-20

LCM to compare fractions

LCM = least common multiple.

Often, we use the LCM to find the least common denominator in a set of two or more fractions.

Then, you can convert your original fractions to equivalent fractions that have similar denominators so you can compare.

Got questions? Look at this slideshow for a refresher.

Tonight, finish questions 1-18 on Worksheet 5:1.

Quiz Tomorrow!

Look at your notes and complete your study guide to get ready for tomorrow's quiz. 

Don't forget: a completed study guide earns you 5 bonus points!

Simplifying Fraction II

We reviewed how to simplify a fraction with a variable.

Tonight, try solving the problems on the worksheet by writing out all the factors and then crossing out terms that are similar

Look at the "top" and the "bottom" of this fraction. Find a common number that will divide evenly into both 36 and 24 (answer is 12).

Then, write out the factors of the variables.

xxxy

xyyyy

You can cancel out one x and one y based on the factors

The answer, then is:

Remember, quiz Friday!

Simplifying Fractions

Simplifying fractions is pretty, well, simple.

1. Find the GCF between the numerator and the denominator

2. Divide the numerator and denominator by the GCF to get a simplified equation

Look at the examples below:

12/15
GCF = 3
Simplified fraction = 4/5

4ab/8b
GCF= 4b
Simplified fraction = a/2


Remember: Any number or variable divided by itself = 1.

Tonight, please complete questions 1-16 on Worksheet 4-4.

GCF

Students should work on the worksheet they were given in class today.

Work will be due on Tuesday. Expect to be given a review sheet for the long weekend.

Let's keep our skills fresh.

Prime Factorization and GCF

Please complete the Reteach 4-3 sheet for Thursday.

Need to review prime factorization? Try these interactive sites that will give you more practice.

http://www.mathgoodies.com/factors/prime_factors.html

http://www.mathplayground.com/factortrees.html

Prime or Composite

If you didn't finish it in class, please color code your number mat: prime or composite.

Forget which is which?

prime number - is only divisible by one and itself
Ex. 5 can only be divided evenly by 1 and 5

composite number - has more than two factors
Ex. 10 can be divided evenly by 1, 10, 2 and 5

WRAT testing

Today's test took up much of our class time today.

Please finish up the worksheet we started on Monday. You will finish 4-2 questions 17-28.

Exponents

Exponents show the repeated multiplication of numbers. If you need some extra practice, try using this website to review:

FactMonster

Once you have it, complete Practice 4-2 Q1-16 for Wednesday.

Second Chance

You've received your tests back. If you correct what is wrong, I'll average your two scores together.

Many of you need to take advantage of this opportunity ...

Pattern Stations

Today we finished the last official day with our pattern stations. I'm proud of the hard work you put into this work.

Pattern Links

Isn't it fascinating that a pattern can be represented as a graph, a table and an equation?!?

We'll be doing more link sheets tonight for homework and all through next week.

Please also complete the worksheet handed out in class.

Fibinocci

One of the most famous patterns in the world was designed by the Italian mathematician, Leonardo di Pisa -- better known as Fibinocci.

His sequence goes like this: seed it with 0, 1 and then add the two numbers to get the next.

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89 ...

Get it?

Pattern Splash

We were able to describe patterns in various ways in class today:

going up

rules

unknowns

increasing

continued numbers

That's great groundwork as we start our next unit. Tonight, please answer the questions on the worksheet handed out in class.

Boost That Grade

Correct your test tonight and I'll average the two sores together.

Great chance to boost your score.

Magic Square

We practiced them in class, and now it's your turn to build one.

Yours should follow these rules:

• Be a 3x3 or 4x4 square
• Include positive and negative numbers
• Have one row that gives away the solution

Don't remember what a magic square is? Check it out here.

Subtracting Integers

Subtracting integers can be really easy ... especially if you follow this rule:

Write the problem as a sum by changing the second integer to its opposite.

Ex. -6 - (-2) = -6 + 2 = -4

or

-6 - 2 = -6 + -2 = -8

Remember a double negative creates a positive.

Try the worksheet tonight and we'll review tomorrow in class.

Adding Integers

Here's the most basic of rules:

The sum of 2 positive numbers = positive

5 + 2 = 7

The sum of 2 negative numbers = negative

-7 + -1 = -8

But you do need to watch the values of the numbers when adding a positive and a negative number.

4 + -1 = 3

4 + -8 = -4

Please complete the worksheet tonight for homework.

Integers and Absolute Value

Integers are negative and positive numbers.

Absolute value tell us the distance a number is away from zero.

So both -3 and 3 have an absolute value of '3' since they are each 3 places away from zero on a number line.

This weekend, please finish questions 11-53 on pg. 19 & 20 of your book.

Evaluating Expressions

If y = 6, then 5y = 30.

That's really all it takes to understand evaluating expressions. Homework is from the Practice Sheet handed out in class today.

Up for a challenge? You can try the practice quiz here.

Order of Operations - Day 2

Please complete the Worksheet handed out in class today.

Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally

That's the mnemonic we learned for the order of operations:

Parenthesis
Exponents
Multiplication
Division
Addition
Subtraction

Tonight you are completing pg. 11 Q 10 - 30 in your book. More practice with order of operation tomorrow.

Variables and Variable Expression

Today we learned the difference between a variable expression and a numerical expression -- variable expressions have letters, numerical expressions only have numbers.

Tonight you should complete questions 10-29 on page 6 of your book.

Chapter One!

Horray! We have books and are almost ready to start Chapter One.

First, however, I would like you all to copy out the vocabulary from the book. Math has its own language and its important for you to understand it. So just as we study vocabulary in a language class, we need to study the vocabulary of math.

Be ready with the work on Monday ... this is the type of assignment I love to make into a pop quiz.

End of Testing!!!

Let's celebrate with no homework!

One more to go ...

Geometry will be the last subject we tackle for testing.

I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to getting into our work.

Tonight, try your hand at the sheet on integers. Be careful of the negative numbers thrown in there.

3 ... 2 ... 1

Tonight you are again reviewing some skills you learned in previous years.

Try your best at dividing the decimals. Remember to move your decimal point up before you start dividing. It's the best way to remember where it goes.

AND NO CALCULATORS. I'm not testing your CALCULATOR skills, I'm testing your CALCULATING skills.

Measurement

So we're through with Day 2 of testing ... just 3 more to go.

Tonight, I handed out a worksheet that reviews adding and subtracting fractions.

Remember: Find the LCM (that's least common multiple) for the denominator, change your fractions accordingly, and then add or subtract.

For instance:

2/3 + 4/8

1) The LCM between 3 and 8 is 24.

2) Change the fractions so the denominators are the same. The new fractions are 16/24 + 12/24

3) Answer is 28/24 or 1 1/6

Still have questions? Ask tomorrow.

Math Blog

As I started thinking about the class, I thought that we might enjoy having a math blog.

For the first week, expect loads of testing -- five days of it to be exact. Some classes will be split, so testing is going on in each grade of the middle school.

Hang on, though, we'll be in full-swing soon.