Help. My wife is taking pre-algebra and having a terrible time with it. Although I can *do* all sorts of math, explaining it is another matter. I've been trying to use the kids' blocks and other visual/tactile aids, but I'm sort of stuck on a language issue and hoping someone here might have an idea of a better way to explain it. It has to do with the way we talk about performing operations on both sides of an equation, a concept that continues to mystify her.
Let's say we're converting 0.4545_ (repeating) from a decimal to a fraction. So we start with this: N = 0.4545_ I say to her, "We'll multiply both sides of the equals sign by 100, in order to get the repeating digits to the left of the decimal place." This sounds just terrific to her, and I write this: 100N = 45.4545_ And she objects, saying that I didn't *really* multiply the left side of the equation by 100. And it's true, I didn't actually perform the multiplication. But she doesn't get it. Why call it multiplying if you don't really do any multiplication on the left side? I'm at a loss for how to use clearer language on this notion of performing the same operation on both sides of the equation... Any suggestions? The rest of the conversion problem is left as an exercise for y'all. The answer is 5/11... and I point out that the fraction expresses a division that you don't actually calculate, but that doesn't help. Obtuse explanations or suggestions to do the problems a different way probably won't help. Nick Arnett Phone/fax: 408-904-7198
