Singapore Math Heuristics: Make A Systematic List | S.A.M Singapore Math California

The skills children pick up in math are indispensable; they can be applied to other academic subjects and to solve real-world problems in their daily lives and future work.

The Singapore Math curriculum focuses on problem solving. Through problem solving, children develop thinking skills such as creative thinking and critical thinking.

When children analyse math problems, they notice patterns, learn to generalise, form new ideas and activate their creative thinking. Children become critical thinkers when they are able to select the best strategy out of multiple methods to solve word problems.

Singapore Math Heuristics

In part one of our Math Heuristics series, we gave an overview of the 12 problem-solving methods or heuristics taught in the Singapore primary math education syllabus, with tips from the curriculum team at Seriously Addictive Mathematics (S.A.M) on how to use them to solve various math word problems.

In part two of the Math Heuristic series, we zoomed in on the heursitics – Act It Out, Draw A Diagram and Look For Patterns, and also showed how to apply the Polya’s 4-step problem-solving process in sample word problems.

In the third part of this series, we will focus on the next 3 heuristics – Make a systematic list, guess and check, and restate the problem in another way.

Sample word problems are solved using these 3 heuristics and Poly’s 4-step process in the step-by-step worked solutions provided by the curriculum team at S.A.M.

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Solution:

1. Understand:
What to find: The number of $4 coupons and the number of $5 coupons David sold?
What is known: He sold 15 coupons. He received $65.

2. Choose: Guess and check

3. Solve:

$4 + $5 = $9. (7 × 9) = 63 is close to 65. I can start the first guess with 7 $4 coupons.

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Solution:

1. Understand:
What to find: Total length of the sofas.
What is known: Each bed is 2 metres long. Each sofa is 2 metres long. Total length of beds and sofas is 14 metres. Sally has 1 more sofa than bed.

2. Choose: Restate the problem in another way

3. Solve:

If we add 1 more bed, Sally will have the same number of beds and sofas.
New total length = 14 m + 2 m = 16 m
Sally has the same number of beds and sofas
Total length of sofas = 16 m ÷ 2 = 8 m

The total length of the sofas is 8 metres.

4. Check:
How many sofas are there? 8 m ÷ 2 m = 4
How many beds are there? 4 – 1 = 3
How many beds and sofas altogether? 4 + 3 = 7
What is the total length of beds and sofas? 7 × 2 m = 14m

These are just a few examples to show you how Singapore Math heuristics are used to solve basic and intermediate word problems in lower grade levels and complex word problems in upper grade levels.

Look out for parts four and five of this series for the other 6 remaining Singapore Math heuristics and word problems with step-by-step worked solutions.

This is the third part to S.A.M Math Heuristics series. Read part one and part two here.

Established in 2010, Seriously Addictive Mathematics (S.A.M) is the world’s largest Singapore Math enrichment program for children aged four to 12. The award-winning S.A.M program is based on the global top-ranking Singapore Math curriculum with a focus on developing problem solving and thinking skills.

The curriculum is complemented with S.A.M’s two-pillared approach of Classroom Engagement and Worksheet Reinforcement, with an individual learning plan tailored to each child at their own skill level and pace, because no two children learn alike.

Singapore Math Heuristics: Make A Systematic List, Guess And Check, Restate The Problem In Another Way