Questions tagged [units]
The units tag has no usage guidance.
5 questions
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Confusing variables with units in simple equations
I have noticed that beginning algebra (or pre-algebra) students can easily make the following type of error, confusing variables with units when being introduced to equations for proportional ...
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How to explain square meters?
How can we explain to students these ideas?
A square with 4 sides measuring 25 cm each does not have an area of 1 square meter.
A shape which is not a square can have an area of 1 square meter.
Is “...
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How to teach that $10000x^2$ c$^2$m$^2$ is wrong?
How do you teach to teenagers or kids that if we have a square with side length $x$ m (that is, $100x$ cm), then its area is $x^2$ m$^2,$ but not $10000x^2$ c$^2$m$^2$ ?
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Should one include the unit in the variable? E.g. should one write $x^\circ = 30^\circ$ or $x = 30^\circ$?
I sometimes come across equations like
$x^\circ = 180^\circ - \frac{360^\circ}{n}$
where I would write
$x = 180^\circ - \frac{360^\circ}{n}$,
or like
$3 \text{ cm} + x \text{ cm} = 5 \text{ cm}$
where ...
- 1,891
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What does research indicate about how one should treat units in elementary school?
Background:
My friend told me that when she was in elementary school, the teacher would ask questions like "If you have $6$ apples and eat $2$ of them, how many apples do you have left?" A ...
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