Today we are going to continue our discussion on Number Sense. Number sense is the ability to break down and use numbers in each problem. We talked about Counting principles previously, and now we are going to focus on Wholes and Parts. This is the ability to take a larger sum (whole) and break it down to its smaller components (parts), or take many parts and form a whole. It is also the idea of complements, finding the missing part required to make a whole.
“By learning to think in terms of Wholes and Parts, a child can develop a strong understanding of the structure of mathematics. Over time, knowledge of Wholes and Parts helps to build up a child’s foundational knowledge, so they can learn to solve complex fractions, equations, and a wide variety of word problems. Without a solid understanding of Wholes and Parts, solving many types of word problems becomes difficult—if not impossible—for many students.”
To learn more about Wholes and Parts, visit the Mathnasium Number Sense blog. These ideas can be applied to many topics in math, from subtraction and fractions to probability and other complex mathematical ideas.
To help build your student's number sense, contact us at 203-757-1234 to set up a free assessment and free trial session!
