Using Calculators

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Achievement Objectives
NA3-3: Know counting sequences for whole numbers.
NA2-2: Know forward and backward counting sequences with whole numbers to at least 1000.
NA4-6: Know the relative size and place value structure of positive and negative integers and decimals to three places.
NA1-2: Know the forward and backward counting sequences of whole numbers to 100.
NA5-5: Know commonly used fraction, decimal, and percentage conversions.
Specific Learning Outcomes

Say the forwards and backwards number word sequences in the range 0–100.

Say the forwards and backwards skip–counting sequences in the range 0–100 for twos, fives, and tens.

Say the forwards and backwards number word sequences by ones, tens, and hundreds in the range 0 – 1000.

Say the forwards and backwards whole number word sequences by ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands in the range 0–1 000 000, including finding numbers that are 10, 100, and 1 000 more or less than a given number.

Find out how many ones, tens, hundreds and thousands are in all of a whole number.

Say the number one–thousandth, one–hundredth, one–tenth, one, and ten, etc, before and after any given number.

Order fractions, decimals and percentages.

Description of Mathematics

Number Framework Stages 4-8

Required Resource Materials
Calculators

Number Flip Strip (Material MAsters 4-2 and 4-31)

Hundreds board with flip capability

Activity

The constant function on the calculator can be used to develop counting patterns. Ask the students to key in the sequence 5 + = = = = ... It will produce a display of increasing multiples of five. Challenge your students to work out the sequence. Note that with some calculators, like Casio, the + key must be pressed twice to activate the constant function.

Use the hundreds board to record the skip-counting sequence. For example, flip over every fifth number. This can also be done by recording the sequence on the blank side of a strip and sliding it into a number flip strip.

 

Activity

 

Seat the students in pairs and get one of the pair to put in the first few terms of a sequence, using + (a number) = = =. The student hands the calculator to their partner to push = = = ... The partner tries to work out what number is being repeatedly added.

Tell the students to key in + number but not to press =.

For example, + 4. Instruct them to hold their finger over the equals button, and, without looking, press equals until they think a target number has been reached in the window. For example, aim for 24. This is good practice for skip-counting sequences and multiplication facts.

This can be extended to sequences of two-digit numbers and decimals.

For example, + 23 = = = ..., + 99 = = = ..., + 0.3 = = = ..., + 1.6 = = = ...

Repeat for subtraction. For example: 46 – 5 = = = ... produces the sequence 41, 36, 31, ... on most calculators.

 

Extension Activity

The students investigate calculator inputs like 4 + 5 = = = ... In this example, most calculators produce the sequence 9, 14, 19, 24, ...

Examples: 0.9 + 0.3 = = = ..., 2.45 + 0.02 = = = ..., 48 – 4 = = = ..., 8.4 – 0.5 = = = ..., 7.5 – 0.25 = = = ..., 2.602 – 0.002 = = = ...

 
 

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