In #MathsToday we were factorising non-monic quadratics. Using the grid for splitting the middle term worked so much better than factorising the left and right sides. I don't think I've ever had such a high success rate on this skill. - ThreadSky

mathsimpact.bsky.social • 101 days ago

In #MathsToday we were factorising non-monic quadratics.

Using the grid for splitting the middle term worked so much better than factorising the left and right sides.

I don't think I've ever had such a high success rate on this skill.

Comments

skiptylermath.bsky.social•101 days ago

I love the connection between the methods. It helps to understand the “why” behind the procedure.

mayorofsimpleton.bsky.social•100 days ago

Strong agree. Also, private tutors who counsel against it should be struck off.

shawmaths.bsky.social•101 days ago

Love this now!

Spotting that ac is the product of all 4 of the elements in the binomials was my final piece too.

tgoesh.bsky.social•101 days ago

This is the way.

Combine it with the X game, and it becomes super solid.

zorlo.bsky.social•101 days ago

Definitely. When teaching this to algebra students, it makes it more like a puzzle to solve than an intimidating expression.

blatherwicksam.bsky.social•100 days ago

This chimes with my experience too, but also the durability is good too, months down the line a high proportion of the class can do it no trouble

bethhentges.bsky.social•101 days ago

I LOVE the ac-method.

zorlo.bsky.social•101 days ago

This Area Model/Box Method is my favorite way to factor and multiply! It so versatile with any kind of multiplication:

shaunteaches.bsky.social•101 days ago

I like this, but I switch methods when ac has too many factors.

mathsimpact.bsky.social•101 days ago

What do you switch to?

shaunteaches.bsky.social•101 days ago

Listing out factors, completing the square, quadratic formula or Poh-Shen Loh’s algorithm.

runningstitch314.bsky.social•59 days ago

I always teach it this way now.
Today I've been writing dept lessons for y8s first meeting double brackets - I want to set them up with the grid exactly so they can do this skill later on.

runningstitch314.bsky.social•59 days ago

I also adapted a fantastic @draustinmaths.com worksheet (quadratics grid fill in the blanks) so they already had the grid filled in and just had to find the factors. Hopefully it will help.

runningstitch314.bsky.social•59 days ago

I also adapted a fantastic @draustinmaths.com worksheet (quadratics grid fill in the blanks) so they already had the grid filled in and just had to find the factors. Hopefully it will help.

emmathe37th.bsky.social•101 days ago

I really don't like splitting and factorising. For the first few times teaching it that way, I always had to remind myself how to do it before teaching it! Love this way though.

philwainsmith.bsky.social•101 days ago

What do you do if the coefficient of x^2 has multiple factor pairs?

mathsimpact.bsky.social•101 days ago

Exactly the same thing, that's why it works so well 😁

mathowitz.bsky.social•101 days ago

My favorite extra tidbit for factoring when a>1 is that if there is no gcf to start with, then there can't be a gcf in either binomial factor.
Which in this case eliminates nearly every option.

philwainsmith.bsky.social•101 days ago

Of course. I was mixing this method up with something similar I was shown in my training year that used a grid and I remember it fell down when there were more factors of the squared term. I personally prefer the factorising each 'half' but the link to expanding with a grid is useful.

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