Author Pam Harris argues that teaching real math--math that is free of distortions--will reach more students more effectively and result in deeper understanding and longer retention. This book is about teaching undistorted math using the kinds of mental reasoning that mathematicians do. Memorization tricks and algorithms meant to make math…

Using various aspects of mathematical structure as unifying concepts is stressed. Specific examples are given based on the concept of equivalent fractions and on the addition property of equality. (LS)

Computational algorithms appearing in early American arithmetic text are discussed. (SD)

Allowing students to examine different ways of performing an operation is suggested as a means of increasing their understanding. (MP)

Five reports from a 2-year study are presented. Frequencies and descriptions of systematic errors in the four algorithms in arithmetic were studied in upper-middle income, regular, and special education classrooms involving 744 children. Children were screened for adequate knowledge of basic facts and for receiving prior instruction on the…

The term Chisanbop is the trademark for the finger calculation method originally developed by a Korean, Sung Jin Pai. It was refined and simplified by his son, Hang Young Pai, who introduced the technique to the United States in 1976. This annotated bibliography has been organized in five categories. Readings in the first category, Historical…

A 14-year-old Brazilian boy in the fourth grade was given 170 problems orally, each asking for the sum of 2 2-digit numbers. Responses indicated he had invented his own algorithm for addition, similar to the school one, based largely on his experiences with money. (Contains 13 references.) (JAF)

P-adic or g-adic sets are sets of elements formed by linear combinations of powers of p, a prime number, or g, a counting number, where the coefficients are whole numbers less than p or g. Discusses exercises illustrating basic numerical operations for p-adic and g-adic sets. Provides BASIC computer programs to verify the solutions. (MDH)