"JUST THE FACTS, MA'AM"
LEARNING THE MATH FACTS IS ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS IN MATH.
BY FELICIA HALL
As a long time resource teacher, I see many students who have trouble with math. Upon investigation, it becomes clear that the primary cause of their difficulty with math is that they do not know their math facts.
In math, numbers are comparable to the letters in reading. Math facts are comparable to words. Math problems are comparable to sentences, and the rules about regrouping, decimal placement, etc. are comparable to grammar.
If math facts are comparable to words, you can see that any student who didn't know the math facts would not be able to do math problems any more than a student who didn't know the words would be able to read sentences. The good news is that, unlike memorizing every word in the English language, it is possible to memorize every math fact you would need to know.
There are only 390 basic math facts which students need to know in order to work math problems in addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and decimals. By memorizing these 390 facts, students can work faster and more accurately in math. Math can become fun (or at least not torture). And more importantly, by knowing math facts, you can estimate and be able to tell when your calculator gives you an answer that is totally off base.
Although I work with children who have disabilities, the need to know basic math facts applies to all children. Click on this link to visit ArithmAttack a site provided by the U.S. Department of energy to help children learn and practice their math facts.
