Number Sense Blog

  Throughout the month of April, we’ve had fun celebrating Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month. But April is only the beginning; we hope you’ll be inspired to keep up this conversation with your family all year long. The truth is that...

  Welcome to Mathnasium’s Math Tricks series. Whether it is in statistics or the real world, we are occasionally required to count large amounts. It can be a long and tedious process to list the total number of combinations for given events. So...

  Welcome to Mathnasium’s Math Tricks series. Today we are comparing fractions that have the same numerators but have different denominators (the total number of equal parts in the whole). When we compare fractions with the same numerators, ...

  Summer is the time for road trips, backyard BBQs, days at the beach and … math? That’s right! It’s important for students to make math a part of their summer so they don’t lose what they’ve learned during the school year. On average, children...

  The official start of summer is right around the corner, and we are here for it! Regardless of your plans, we have a fun and simple way to turn your child’s summer into a math game with a fan favourite: BINGO! Encourage your child to follow t...

  Welcome to Mathnasium’s Math Tricks series. Students are often taught that division is the opposite of multiplication, and therefore should rely on their multiplication facts to divide; this can be difficult when the number to divide by (the ...

  Welcome to Mathnasium’s Math Tricks series. Today we are comparing fractions to the benchmark number, one half. When comparing fractions, it can be difficult to determine whether they represent values that are greater than or less than one...

  Our expert team of math educators and enthusiasts has spent over 40 years developing and refining the most powerful teaching methods and materials into the comprehensive, industry-leading Mathnasium Method™. These “Ask Education” features...

  Welcome to Mathnasium’s Math Tricks series. Today we are using number sense to divide statements where the divisors (the numbers we are dividing by) have more than two factors (numbers which divide evenly into the divisor). Rather than dividi...

  Summer travels get us from point A to point B, but have you ever measured the distance travelled? Today’s math activity helps you do just that by finding the differences between distances. And whether you find yourself travelling in a car, on...

  Welcome to Mathnasium’s Math Tricks series. Today we are comparing fractions using the concept of wholes and parts … in this case, finding the missing parts that make one whole. To compare fractions, we can turn to a few tricks we’ve cover...

  For most children, the month of August will be spent living out the last weeks of summer vacation. The many hours of sunshine will leave your child feeling renewed and refreshed, so why not also take the time to sharpen their math skills? Sum...

  How your child is taught is as important as what they are taught. Finding the right math tutor for your child isn’t easy. You want high-level instruction from a qualified source who will help your child understand the concepts and feel con...

  What to look for to ensure your child gets the math help they need. The decision to seek out a math tutor comes for a variety of reasons. Your child is behind in their math class and needs to catch up. Or they’re doing okay in class but yo...

  Welcome to Mathnasium’s Math Tricks series. Today we are sharing a trick to find a quarter of any number. The word quarter means “four parts the same,” or “four equal parts.” To find a quarter of a number, we first cut the number in half a...

  Welcome to Mathnasium’s Math Tricks series. Today we are squaring numbers ending in 0 or 5 by observing patterns and applying our number sense. To square a number, we multiply it by itself. Sometimes, this multiplication might be difficult...

  Students often need more individual attention than their school can provide. It’s a widely known fact that strong math skills are vital for success in high school, university, and beyond. Unfortunately, this hard truth causes an undue amou...

Grade 1: 11 + 12 = ___ There are two ways to think about 11 + 12, both require mastery of doubles facts. Think about the double, then add 1 or take away 1. So, for 11 + 12 start with 11 + 11 and add 1. 11 + 11 is 22, so 11 + 12 is 23. Or start wi...

  Welcome to Mathnasium’s Math Tricks series. Today we are calculating basic probability. Probability is the chance or likelihood that something will happen. To calculate the basic probability of something happening, we make a fraction of th...

  Classes are in full swing and students are getting settled into a routine. Which means it’s a good time to create a plan to ensure that your child’s math experience this year is positive, productive and rewarding. Here are some great ways to ...