What Does Computation Mean?
“The procedure of calculating; determining something by mathematical or logical methods.”1
In simpler terms, computations, in general, entail using math or logic to arrive at a solution to a problem. They can be done by humans, calculators, or computers.
What are Math Computation Skills?
Math computation skills include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, which are commonly referred to as basic arithmetic. Even in this day and age of computers and calculators, it is critical to teach children how to compute without them. So, children should be taught a variety of reliable and understandable computation methods. Traditional algorithms, as well as alternative algorithms that many children find easier to learn and apply with greater precision, can be used as examples.2
Why is Math Computation Important?
Math computation skills are introduced right from the early elementary grades. Children learn addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in order, and teachers frequently use games, timed quizzes, and drills to reinforce arithmetic calculation abilities.New learning builds on existing information and is reliant on it until children master all four skills.
Irrespective of how advanced modern technology has become, math computation skills remain an important part of a child’s math education because they lay the groundwork for future math learning in areas like geometry, trigonometry, algebra, and calculus. They’re also important since, even as adults, they’ll help children in tasks such as assessing the price of marked-down things, identifying which size of item provides the best value for money, and exactly doubling or halving cooking recipes, etc.2
How to Develop Math Computation in Your Child?
- Make Math Fun
The majority of children learn about things by engaging with them through play, which is a process driven by curiosity. While the word “math” may cause anxiety in some children, making it pleasant may be the key to better math computation.
Card games, memory games, board games and chess are just a few of the fun games you can play with your friends or peers. There are also numerous online games to try, including Monopoly, Prodigy, and others.
You will not only be testing your math skills, but you will also be improving them on a daily basis without even realizing it by playing these types of games.
- Practice
When it comes to achieving success, nothing beats practice. So make math a part of your daily routine and practice it without consciously thinking about it. Take advantage of any and all opportunities to practice your math skills in the real world, like calculating the time you need to finish your tests or homework, the grocery bill based on what you’re buying, or the discount percentage on a shirt on sale.
- Use Visual Aids
Teachers could almost always use visual content like graphs and diagrams, as well as dynamic media, to teach math. According to research, this was specifically linked to increasing student participation in math class because they found the use of visual media to be interesting and enjoyable.
Children require more than words to effectively articulate information in situations as simple as adding up objects, calculating the area of a triangle, or even solving complex math problems using graphs and charts. Using images of apples instead of numbers to engage young children’s attention is an example of how even elementary math necessitates the use of visuals.3
- Conceptual Understanding
Conceptual understanding involves not only teaching your children how to do something, but also why they should do it. Children can see the bigger picture that underpins all math topics and exercises through conceptual understanding that allows them to think more fluidly, apply math skills to a variety of contexts, and employ higher-order thinking skills.
Memorizing formulas can help your child finish their homework faster, but it does not necessarily imply that they comprehended the underlying concept. To find the answers, children must think, evaluate, and use reasoning skills rather than simply memorize rules. When children actively apply newly learned concepts that they have fully grasped, they are better able to store that information in their long-term memory.4
- Real-world Applications
As previously stated, math is present in our daily lives, and we can turn these real-life experiences into math practice exercises. So the next time you go shopping with your child, talk about prices, calculate your bill beforehand, and figure out discount percentages to help them improve their overall math computational skills.
Another fun and simple way to improve your child’s math skills is to cook or bake with them at home. Engaging them in weighing, measuring, doubling, and reducing ingredients in accordance with your recipe will help them become more familiar with quantities, additions-deletions, multiplications, temperatures, time-keeping, and cooking units.
Learning math is similar to constructing any architectural structure: a solid foundation is required to create the ideal shape. Math is more than just a series of complex calculations and algorithms. Math problems often seem difficult or complex to children who did not receive adequate math education during their childhood and thus did not develop the skills necessary to solve math problems. As a result, it becomes increasingly difficult to learn advanced concepts later on. It is, therefore, crucial to ensure that your child has a strong foundation when it comes to math computation.
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References:
- Computation – Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/computation
- What Are the Fundamental Differences & Similarities Between Fractions & Decimals? (n.d.). Retrieved June 9, 2022, from https://sciencing.com/fundamental-similarities-between-fractions-decimals-8510600.html
- How Math Can Help Build Your Child’s Visual Literacy. (n.d.). Retrieved June 9, 2022, from https://www.byjusfutureschool.com/blog/how-math-can-help-build-your-childs-visual-literacy/
- What is Conceptual Understanding in Math and Why is it Important. (n.d.). Retrieved June 9, 2022, from https://www.byjusfutureschool.com/blog/what-is-conceptual-understanding-in-math-and-why-is-it-important-for-children/
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