December 2008, Vol. 102, Issue 5
Area by Dissection
Ioana Mihaila; Ellen Barger
Building sets of problems rooted in the same concept allows students to develop understanding and take on increasingly complex problems. By beginning with “foundation stories” and using strategies similar to those for literary constructs, students’ mathematical comprehension and fluency have dramatically increased. A problem set focussing on areas, specifically areas of circles, triangles, and rectangles is highlighted.