maths help!

[princess peach]

My poor son is getting in a right old state about Maths at school(spanish school)
He is doing something called fractions and number decimals.He didnt do at all well in his maths test,and i have written to the teacher asking if he can write down an example of how you get the answers to these questions so we can help him.My son said the teacher wont do this.
I have also typed the above "fractions and number decimals "into google,and the correct sums do not show up.Its all the english sums that look nothing like what he is doing.
Is there anyone on here that is a maths genius that could maybe explain(if i posted a pic)what exactly these sums are called and how to do them?
We have tried to work out how the spanish get the answers and cant do that either.we must just be plain stoopid.
I would really appreciate anyones help,either in what the names of these sums are,or how to get the answers.
I can post a pic of the sums later tonight when my son gets home from school.He is in a right tiswas with himself,and i would be ever so grateful if a kind person could help us.

[julian]

post the pic.....we´ll have a go...but maybe we´ll show our ignorance..it´s a while since I was at school but I´ll have a go !!! I often get panic call sfrom a friend´s son with homework problems, sometimes I can help, other times I give up after a couple of minutes!

[gerryh]

I assume this is a serious question?

Can't see what the problem is.
A fraction such as ¼ is written the same in Spanish or English.
Eg. ¼ + ½ = ¾, was that worked out in Spanish or English?
Same for decimals
0.25 + 0.5 = 0.75

Post some pictures in case you are talking about something completely different.

Cheers
Gerry

[redsoxbrit]

I know exactly what you are talking about PP. Post an example on here and I'll ask my son to have a look (2º Spanish school). He also had problems because the workings out have to be shown in a completely different way to how he was shown in the UK but he seems to have got it now. Can't promise anything, depends what mood he's in but it's worth a try

[princess peach]

I will post a pic later as i cannot type the questions using my pc keyboard(numbers are in wierd places).Gerry h of course its a serious question.You examples are normal fractions and nothing at all like the sums he has to do.(your ones are simple..lol)

I will be back on later when i get him home with an example for you all.I hope it is as complicated as we think it is,otherwise im going to look a right fool.

[antonia]

P.Peach, i really do sympathise. My son gets himself into a state over maths and how to work it all out. My husband and i help him alot, but, it's not the way he does it at school, even though we get the same answer. He won't even contemplate doing it our way because his teacher marks him down even though the answer is the same. Last year we sent him to a place in town called progresso and for 45 euros a month he went 3 hours a week. He took his homework with him and the guy patiently explained any problems he had and he was so much more confident by the end of the year. He has now come home saying he doesn't understand the dividing he is doing now and so we may send him back to this place, money well spent and a happy home. Perhaps you have something similar near to you...i believe they are study places for secondary age students...my son was the youngest only 9 and his teacher said we were wasting our money...don't think so!!

[gerryh]

.Gerry h of course its a serious question.You examples are normal fractions and nothing at all like the sums he has to do.(your ones are simple..lol)
I will be back on later when i get him home with an example for you all.

Apologies for doubting the seriousness of your question.
Without seeing an example of the maths question it is difficult to comment.
I've never had a problem with maths, always was my best subject.
From what I gather from your other posts the problem appears to be the method of working out the answer.
I will try to help when you post the example.
Cheers
Gerry

[aquaman]

Buy a Collins Maths dictionary, explains all maths in a way easy to understand.

[El Cid]

But it won't explain the strange way that the Spanish use!

Let's see the details Peachy.

Sid

[princess peach]

We have tried buying dictionaries,but they make the matters worse,as like sid says..all in english working out.

O.K.here are the sums.
Hubby tells me he can get the answers,but doesnt understand the spanish way of working it out-which isnt any good.I dont think it helps that hubby and i,dont speak much spanish.

i hope i dont look thick doing this,but my son needs help,so im going to swallow my pride.Here you go guys.xx




any help would be really appreciated.
I can also take more (different )pics if you need them

[El Cid]

As you say, the answers are straightforward but as they are all mental arithmetic questions, then I don't see how you would have to write down the working out method - just the answers.

Sid

[avellana]

What year is your son in?

[redsoxbrit]

Hubby tells me he can get the answers,but doesnt understand the spanish way of working it out-which isnt any good.I dont think it helps that hubby and i,dont speak much spanish.

El Cid is correct PP, they are asking for you to 'calcula mentalmente' work them out in your head, so for these examples you do not need to show the workings out, only the answers so....

1. Write in 'power' form (to the power of, as we know it)
a) 7 to the power of 6 written as 7 followed by a small 6 at the top (examples shown in questions 2&3)
b) -3 to the power of 5 written as -3 followed by a small 5 at the top.
2. Calculate in your head the 'power' of 2 to the power of 0=0, 2 to the power of 1=2 etc.
a)0, b)2, c)4 etc.
3.Exactly the same
a)0, b)10, c)100 etc.

Hope that helps

[princess peach]

O.K. maybe that wasnt the right questions then.
he had an exam that has now been handed into the teacher,that he did need to show workings out for.I will have another look in his book and see if i can find examples of that.

My son is 13 in Year 2 in the instituto.

[bunty]

Just had my friend have a look and he said that the
1b is (-3) with a small 5 on the top of the brackets on the right
2.a is 1
3.a is 1

every number to the power of 0 is equal to 1

That is a Spanish answer.. but don't ask me as I haven't a clue!

[redsoxbrit]

i have written to the teacher asking if he can write down an example of how you get the answers to these questions so we can help him.My son said the teacher wont do this.

I am very surprised your sons maths teacher is not willing to explain anything as in our experience, in both the UK and Spain, most would be only too pleased to help an enthusiastic pupil - would he not maybe consider helping him after school so as not to interrupt the whole class?

[princess peach]

well my son gave the teacher the letter on Friday,so we havnt really given him a chance yet,but my son just said he read it and didnt say anything.
I will dig out the correct sums and re-post them again on here..

[silver]

you can use internet for help with maths e.g.

Google with
Potencia de un número
find explanation in spanish
Potencia de un número natural
Si se desea multiplicar un número por sí mismo varias veces se puede indicar el producto factor a factor, si son pocos factores esto se puede hacer sin mucha dificultad. Por ejemplo 2·2·2, si se multiplica por si mismo 2 tres veces.
Esta forma de expresar este tipo de operaciones es tediosa y poco práctica. Una notación más simple y práctica para expresar el producto de un número por sí mismo varias veces es la notación en forma de potencia.
Una potencia consta de dos partes, por un lado está la base que es el número que se multiplica por sí mismo y por otro el exponente que nos indica el número de veces que se multiplica el número.
A potencia consists of 2 parts ..base and exponente
2.2.2.2. =2-4
the 2 is base
the 4 is exponente
copy
then google traductor paste and get result in English


Power of a natural number
If you want to multiply the number by itself many times can be a factor to indicate the product factor, if there are few factors that can be done without much difficulty. 2.2.2 For example, if you multiply 2 by itself three times.
This way of expressing this type of operation is tedious and impractical. A notation simpler and more practical to express the product of a number by itself several times is the notation in the form of power.
A power consists of two parts, first is the base that is the number that is multiplied by itself and by another exponent that indicates the number of times that multiplies the number.
A power consists of 2 parts base and exponent ..
2.2.2.2. = 2-4
2 is the base
is the 4 exponent

[princess peach]

Thanks for that silver.Im still waiting for my son to bring back home the exam paper where he got most of the sums wrong,so i can post the questions on here.The teacher has read the note where i asked for extra help,and not said a word to my son.Im really cross.
I will certainly use the google.es for help in future.Im sure it wont be long before he is stuck again.

[silver]

One good way for you boys maths would be for him to offer English help in exchange to the best maths pupil in his class or another in a high grade.