Você está na página 1de 5
 
Playing with Blocks
 Warm up
: some students multiply numbers in their head by visualizing rectangles. Examples:
!"#$ # &'()*"+ ,- ./
!
/0 12 -'3*"+ ') ,*) '4 5,*" 6+#7 *8'43 )6'8 '7+#9
Background
: Some teachers wanted a way to picture or visualize algebra. So they took the idea above to invent Algebra Blocks. (Also called Algebra Tiles.) The idea is not that you’d use these blocks your whole life, but that they can help you understand the symbols and the ideas better if you can picture them.  Two related questions here:
:6#) 7,+8 )6'8 6#;+ ), 7, $')6 )6+ <*=)'&=5'43 8)*--> :65 '8
 ! 
/
 # 8?*#"+ #47
 ! 
 # 8)'(@>
Use
: Mathematicians take ideas like “take a number, double it, and add 3” and put it into symbols: 2
+3. Now we can also put it into blocks.
AB B AC AC ACC D AD BC DC /C AB
!
ADEACCFBCFDCF/CE/AC A0 0 AC /C /CC . /. 8, A0
!
/.E/CCFA/CF GGG F GGG EGGGGGGG A/C
 ! 
/
 ! 
 
A
 
:6#) $,*=7 )6+ 85<H,=8 -," )6'8 H+>
I,$ $,*=7 5,* 7"#$ /
 ! 
/
F
 ! 
F.>
 
How do you deal with negative numbers, though? Some blocks will have two colors, or flip to be a different color, but most blocks use a map with a positive side and a negative side.
I,$ 7, 5,* $"')+ )6'8 $')6 85<H,=8> J- 5,* )#@+ # 4*<H+" #47 #77 A #47 )6+4 8*H)"#() AK )6+"+L8 4, (6#43+9 M, $+ (#4 )6'4@ ,- 8,<+ ,- )6,8+ &,8')';+ #47 4+3#)';+8 (#4(+=='43 ,*)9 :6#) $,*=7 )6#) =+#;+>
(Mathematicians call that simplifying an algebraic expression.)
Problems to try
: try to do theses with the blocks and record in symbols. Some of these might be hard to think about how to show with the blocks, since we’re trying something new. 1)
 
Simplify
2
+2
"
3+2
"
1 2)
 
Simplify 2
+4
"
"
5+
2
 3)
 
 Add ( 
2
+2
"
3)+( 
 x 
2
+3
F
2) 4)
 
 Add ( 
2
"
3)+( 
 
-
2
+3
"
2) 5)
 
Subtract ( 
2
+2
"
3)
"
 x 
2
"
2) 6)
 
Subtract ( 
2
"
4
FA
 )
"
 
-2
"
2) Pick one of the problems to explain how you did it, in your own words.
"
 F
"
 F I,$ 7, 5,* $"')+ )6'8 $')6 85<H,=8> N*'=7 O
 ! 
/
F/
 ! 
"
A
"
 F
 
"
 
"
 F F 

Recompense a sua curiosidade

Tudo o que você quer ler.
A qualquer hora. Em qualquer lugar. Em qualquer dispositivo.
Sem compromisso. Cancele quando quiser.
576648e32a3d8b82ca71961b7a986505