What's the point of the 11 times table?
Discussion
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31079515
As an immigrant to this great country as a 10 years old child many years ago, I was always curious as to why the primary schools in this country are required to teach children the 11 and 12 times table.
Surely you only need to memorise the 1 to 9 times table to do any multiplication or division in a base 10 numbering system.
Perhaps the 12 times table might be useful for converting feet to inches but I am struggling to think of a use for the 11 times table.
Does anyone have a good explaination for this?
As an immigrant to this great country as a 10 years old child many years ago, I was always curious as to why the primary schools in this country are required to teach children the 11 and 12 times table.
Surely you only need to memorise the 1 to 9 times table to do any multiplication or division in a base 10 numbering system.
Perhaps the 12 times table might be useful for converting feet to inches but I am struggling to think of a use for the 11 times table.
Does anyone have a good explaination for this?
marshalla said:
When UKIP win, we'll be back on pounds, shillings and pence.
Just wait until you need work out 28 litres at £1 2s 11d.
(interim measure until secession from the EU is complete and we can use gallons again).
wow, spillover. There is a UKIP thread for the doubters.Just wait until you need work out 28 litres at £1 2s 11d.
(interim measure until secession from the EU is complete and we can use gallons again).
Personally, I love metric and UKIP.
I was good at mental arithmetic. As this was mistaken for a sign of intelligence I practiced it and improved. I could add up a column of 20 x 6-figure numbers and get it right more times than those using calculators.
I was asked by my kids, none of whom have inherited this ability, if it has been on any practical value. Hardly ever since going decimal was my answer.
I have a desk-top calculator, I have one on my pad, I have one on my smartphone.
Whether teaching times tables is good or not I leave to the professionals. However, there was a girl at at college who could not add up a column of 20 x 2-figure numbers even with a pen and paper. Didn't stop her in her career so it is not an essential.
I was asked by my kids, none of whom have inherited this ability, if it has been on any practical value. Hardly ever since going decimal was my answer.
I have a desk-top calculator, I have one on my pad, I have one on my smartphone.
Whether teaching times tables is good or not I leave to the professionals. However, there was a girl at at college who could not add up a column of 20 x 2-figure numbers even with a pen and paper. Didn't stop her in her career so it is not an essential.
plasticpig said:
I never managed to learn the times table at school. Learning by rote is pointless IMO. Pretty much everyone has a calculator on their phone so if they can't work out 12.79 * 13.45 in their head then they have ready access to a device which can.
And every year students and pupils fail exams because they can't estimate or approximate the correct answer and don't notice when the magic box gives them the wrong answer (because they mistyped and didn't notice that either).
I have a successful career in and around finance but have always found the tables very hard. Nonetheless, it's useful to know some of the "easier" stuff in I my experience.
Amongst the "tricks" which I've had to use to deal with this is to focus on l=only half the tables. For instance, I don't need to know what 8 x 6 is because I know that 6 x 8 = 48.
Another example - 3 x 12 is much easier for me to picture than 12 x 3.
Amongst the "tricks" which I've had to use to deal with this is to focus on l=only half the tables. For instance, I don't need to know what 8 x 6 is because I know that 6 x 8 = 48.
Another example - 3 x 12 is much easier for me to picture than 12 x 3.
marshalla said:
And every year students and pupils fail exams because they can't estimate or approximate the correct answer and don't notice when the magic box gives them the wrong answer (because they mistyped and didn't notice that either).
This, every time. A lot of the time it helps to know roughly where the answer is, without having to stop what you're doing, fumble for your phone, turn it on, find the calculator app, tap in the numbers and formula without making a mistake...
Thanks for all the interesting responses.
I can't agree with not learning the 1 to 9 times table since it is fundamental to understanding how to multiple and divide any number (in base 10).
12 pence in a shilling is a good reason to know the 12 times table since you need to use money everyday. However, we don't have shillings anymore!
Also, there's 16 ounces to a pound but we don't ask primary school pupil to memorise the 16 times table!
I can't agree with not learning the 1 to 9 times table since it is fundamental to understanding how to multiple and divide any number (in base 10).
12 pence in a shilling is a good reason to know the 12 times table since you need to use money everyday. However, we don't have shillings anymore!
Also, there's 16 ounces to a pound but we don't ask primary school pupil to memorise the 16 times table!
Claudia Skies said:
I have a successful career in and around finance but have always found the tables very hard. Nonetheless, it's useful to know some of the "easier" stuff in I my experience.
Amongst the "tricks" which I've had to use to deal with this is to focus on l=only half the tables. For instance, I don't need to know what 8 x 6 is because I know that 6 x 8 = 48.
Another example - 3 x 12 is much easier for me to picture than 12 x 3.
Not sure if serious...!?Amongst the "tricks" which I've had to use to deal with this is to focus on l=only half the tables. For instance, I don't need to know what 8 x 6 is because I know that 6 x 8 = 48.
Another example - 3 x 12 is much easier for me to picture than 12 x 3.
simoid said:
Claudia Skies said:
I have a successful career in and around finance but have always found the tables very hard. Nonetheless, it's useful to know some of the "easier" stuff in I my experience.
Amongst the "tricks" which I've had to use to deal with this is to focus on l=only half the tables. For instance, I don't need to know what 8 x 6 is because I know that 6 x 8 = 48.
Another example - 3 x 12 is much easier for me to picture than 12 x 3.
Not sure if serious...!?Amongst the "tricks" which I've had to use to deal with this is to focus on l=only half the tables. For instance, I don't need to know what 8 x 6 is because I know that 6 x 8 = 48.
Another example - 3 x 12 is much easier for me to picture than 12 x 3.
(except in the case of 8x6, where 6x8 is easier).....
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