# Maths!



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

My daughter has maths homework! Its nothing at all like the UK maths, the symbols, the workings out... the only things that seem the same are the answers - thats if you understand the questions????

Any useful sites, books, tips, advise or help from anyone on here please???


Jo xxx


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

jojo said:


> My daughter has maths homework! Its nothing at all like the UK maths, the symbols, the workings out... the only things that seem the same are the answers - thats if you understand the questions????
> 
> Any useful sites, books, tips, advise or help from anyone on here please???
> 
> ...


Oh dear JoJo, it would seem that the forum members are not knowledgeable on Spanish Maths!! Seriously though, I had heard that the Spanish teach the subject in a completely different way to the English, and I find it difficult enough trying to help my kids out with their Maths homework as it is, so the very best of luck to you! 

I know you have just given up the expense of International School for your daughter. Would there be a little bit of spare money you could spend on a tutor for her whilst she finds her feet??


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Can you maybe ask your daughter to "teach" you what she understands of it (ostensibly so you can work things out together)? Sometimes explaining things to someone else (especially Mom, for some reason) helps you work things out for yourself.
Cheers,
Bev


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Bevdeforges said:


> Can you maybe ask your daughter to "teach" you what she understands of it (ostensibly so you can work things out together)? Sometimes explaining things to someone else (especially Mom, for some reason) helps you work things out for yourself.
> Cheers,
> Bev


I'd forgotten I'd even posted this one LOL!!! My OH is the maths "expert" of the house, so he's trying to suss it out, I just wondered if there are any books or websites that define the differences, but they seem to be getting the hang of it without too many "tantrums" from either of them!!!!. I'm all the other subjects!! We had French homework last night, my, that was fun - doing French in Spanish - if you know what I mean!!!!


Jo xxx


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## fourgotospain (May 4, 2009)

Jo, can you please write that maths book or website before mine get to spanish secondary??!!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

fourgotospain said:


> Jo, can you please write that maths book or website before mine get to spanish secondary??!!



YES!!!! You really wouldnt think it could be so different would you, but my OH who has a-level maths and everything is totally bemused! The symbols and lay out are different, as are the workings out.............. He's been trawling the net to see if there are any clues, but hasnt found out anything. Rubys helping a bit tho cos she's starting to get the idea-ish??????? 

Jo xxx


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## morlandg (Jun 8, 2008)

jojo said:


> YES!!!! You really wouldnt think it could be so different would you, but my OH who has a-level maths and everything is totally bemused! The symbols and lay out are different, as are the workings out.............. He's been trawling the net to see if there are any clues, but hasnt found out anything. Rubys helping a bit tho cos she's starting to get the idea-ish???????
> 
> Jo xxx


Jo - I'm curious to know what these symbols and layout look like!
You couldn't give us a quick example could you?
Graham


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

morlandg said:


> Jo - I'm curious to know what these symbols and layout look like!
> You couldn't give us a quick example could you?
> Graham


The divide symbol is a colon and laid out differently, "times" tables are written round the other way, they use little circles for something else???? and there working out is done from the other way????..... thats all I can remember, as I say, my OH does the maths!!! LOL I'll ask Ruby to show me her maths book when she's back from the stables, she helps out there on a saturday morning!

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jojo said:


> The divide symbol is a colon and laid out differently, "times" tables are written round the other way, they use little circles for something else???? and there working out is done from the other way????..... thats all I can remember, as I say, my OH does the maths!!! LOL I'll ask Ruby to show me her maths book when she's back from the stables, she helps out there on a saturday morning!
> 
> Jo xxx


Yeah, maths stuff is different here, but as I never really got the hang of it in English I stay well away from it here. 
You need xabiachica who gave private classes in maths to secondary school pupils.
Anybody know  what happened to her??? I used to enjoy her posts...


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Don't know if this will help
dictionary.babylon.com/MATH_SYMBOL_


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

It's great to see the word maths instead of the Americanism math that has crept into our language same with the word blond.... I am forever seeing blonde lol I have even done it myself!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

ok, we're doing maths homework. The Spanish use a comma instead of a decimal point, so they use a semi colon instead of a comma to break up the numbers. A colon instead of a division symbol and they put the numbers around the other way......

I didnt ever get my head around UK maths......AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!

Jo xxx


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Yes, I have come across those 'strange' Maths symbols when I lived in Germany as a child. Quickly got used to them, as you do when you are young!
As for different way of working out, I too have seen it. Basically, they work out from big figures first.
For examples,
25 x 35
would be worked out as
20 x 30 = 600
5 x 30 = 150
5 x 20 = 100
5 x 5 = 25
600 + 150 + 100 + 25 = 875


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Joppa said:


> Yes, I have come across those 'strange' Maths symbols when I lived in Germany as a child. Quickly got used to them, as you do when you are young!
> As for different way of working out, I too have seen it. Basically, they work out from big figures first.
> For examples,
> 25 x 35
> ...



overload, overload, overload, overload, overload, overload, overload,overload, overload, overload...................... AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!

Jo xx


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## fourgotospain (May 4, 2009)

My daughter actually does it this way now in the UK - Year 5 (age 9/10). They write the seperate answers in boxes and then add up all the boxes. I hadn't seen it though until this year so maybe it's newly adopted.


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

fourgotospain said:


> My daughter actually does it this way now in the UK - Year 5 (age 9/10). They write the seperate answers in boxes and then add up all the boxes. I hadn't seen it though until this year so maybe it's newly adopted.


Yes, I think my primary aged kids did this as well. The difference was they were taught this method, and the 'traditional' (British) way. I think the idea now is that they learn the mechanics of maths along with the reasoning behind the calculation. Its supposed to be more 'relevant'. If they understand both ways they it will stand them in good stead later on I'm sure. However, the different symbols sounds mighty confusing to deal with!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

lynn said:


> ...... the different symbols sounds mighty confusing to deal with!



The different symbols is so confusing, its not just that they're different, but unless a childs handwriting is very neat, its difficult to work out whether we have written a comma, colon, semi colon..... etc. That was our problem last night. My daughter was being somewhat ambiguous with her "symbols" and I didnt know what was what or how - she wasnt sure what she meant either!! I think we'll get a "D" for that piece of homework LOL!!! I'm going to look into the possibilities of getting some extra maths tuition!

Jo xxx


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