Maths – The Banker’s Game – Place Value

We are continuing our learning about place value of numbers as a part of our Maths programme.

Last week, and into this week, we’ve been playing the Banker’s Game – we started with bundling pop sticks in groups of 10 and have now started using MAB equipment to further our learning.

The Banker’s Game is one way to learn about the value of digits in a number depending of their position in the number.

We’ve been playing either by ourselves or with a partner. Each dice roll is counted out using ones, when the column totals 10 it is exchanged for a long (group of 10)  and then when there is 10 longs they are exchanged for a flat (group of 100). There is no limit to how high the game can go – just keep rolling that dice!

Watch Lara playing the Banker’s Game – you’ll see her counting and adding numbers, adding the new dice roll to her total on the board, exchanging groups of 10 in each column and then counting her new total.

What’s your favourite part of the Banker’s Game?

Tell us what you know about place value.

Arrays and Multiplication

In our Maths tasks we have been learning about arrays, multiplication and division through problem solving tasks.

Multiplication is a very important part of maths, and having a good “automatic recall” of times tables helps us with many different areas of maths.

During class time we have begun spending time practising different times tables and using multiplication in our problem solving.

We have also been working with arrays to help build our mathematical skills. An array is a set of objects arranged in rows and columns. Each row has the same number of objects, so they represent equal groups.  Arrays can make counting and calculating easier.

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Arrays are useful for skip counting and solving multiplication problems.

The array above has 3 rows of 4 blocks. That is 3 groups of 4, or 3 x 4.

We can find out how many blocks there are by skip counting by 4’s:  4, 8, 12 – or by doing repeated addition: 4 + 4 + 4 = 12.

There are 12 blocks. So, 3 x 4 = 12.

 

Here’s a site to help prastise your times tables.

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When do we use arrays in real life – can you give us an example of some? Where have you seen them in real life?

Which times tables would you like to improve?