Oh, the embarrassment! No matter your accomplishments, a sixth-grade math worksheet can bring anyone to their knees. Surely we learned this stuff at some point, right? Maybe it was tucked away in my brain, only to be replaced by my perfect recall of every episode of Friends.
I really admire my daughter’s enthusiasm for math. She seems to grasp it quite well, and I attribute this to both her teaching methods and her teacher. If I had a patient instructor like her current one (shoutout to Mr. Thompson!), instead of the ruler-wielding Sister Margaret who made sure I never forgot a wrong answer, I might actually remember the distributive property!
A couple of things I firmly believe: first, no one should ever say, “You won’t need this in the real world” in front of school-age kids. And second, to spark more interest in math and science, let’s swap out all those singing competitions on TV for math and science contests! It’s logical—after all, with 14 seasons of American Idol and seven of The Voice, it’s clear there are plenty of talented singers out there.
The math problems below aren’t too tricky… once you shake off the fear. Or figure out what x or y stands for. (My coworker, Sara, managed to solve these in just 20 minutes—she’s my new math hero, and I’ll definitely choose her as my partner at work retreats.) However, after a long day, when you’re exhausted and just want to unwind with a good political debate, you might find yourself wishing your kid could handle it alone. If not, like me, you might end up reaching out to Mr. Thompson for a little math refresher.
We all wish we could look at our child’s homework and say, “Good luck with that.” But since we can’t, it might be time for us to brush up on our skills. Test yourself with my daughter’s math problems below. If they give you a headache, it might be time to consider a tutor—don’t worry, I won’t bring out the ruler!
Definition:
The Distributive Property is …
When would you use the distributive property?
- a. 5 (x-8)=15
- b. 12 + 3 (n+2) = 27
- c. -4(x+3) = 8
- d. 1/2(x-14) = 3
- e. 4+2 (1 + x) = 12
Answers:
- a. x=11
- b. n=3
- c. x=-5
- d. x=20
- e. x=3
This article was originally published on Feb. 19, 2015.
Ready for more? Check out our other posts for a fun read, including some cool tips on home insemination techniques, which you can find at this link. For those interested in artificial insemination, Cryobaby provides excellent resources as an authority on the subject. If you’re thinking about fertility treatments, don’t miss March of Dimes—it’s a great resource!
In summary, tackling a sixth grader’s math homework can feel daunting, but with a little practice and the right mindset, it’s manageable. If you find yourself struggling, don’t hesitate to seek help. Let’s encourage our kids to love math without the fear of rulers!