Being a Mathematician

1. Being a Mathematician We are all mathematicians

2. What Mathematicians Do Read and understand the problem Explore the problem Seek patterns and make hypotheses Use problem solving strategies and math’s skills Look for all possible solutions and ‘what ifs’. Tell – Explain how you got your answers and what you have learnt. Start again. Mathematicians get: R E S U T L S

3. READ AND UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM Describe the problem using words/symbols/diagrams. E S U T L S R

4. EXPLORE THE PROBLEM What might the answer look like? What is the important information? How could this problem be solved? Jot down some initial thoughts. E S U T L S R

5. SEEK PATTERNS AND MAKE HYPOTHESES Record: any data collected patterns found possible hypotheses and theories. E S U T L S R

6. USE MATHS SKILLAND PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES List the problem solving strategies and math’s skills used. E S U T L S R

7. LOOK FOR ALL POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND ‘WHAT IFS’ Record all possible solutions. Have you found them all? Are they correct? Explore and solve a ‘what if’ question. Record your ‘what if’ and your findings. E S U T L S R

8. TELL – EXPLAIN HOW YOU GOT YOUR ANSWERS AND WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT Explain using words/symbols/diagrams Your solution(s) to the problem How you got your solution – process of discovery How you know your solution is correct What you have learnt E S U T L S R

9. START AGAIN. Solve another problem using the skills and knowledge you have learnt as a mathematician. E S U T L S R