Sixth Grade Math Tips
For some students, sixth grade math is the last year they will learn basic math before moving on to pre-algebra in seventh grade. It is important for them to gain understanding of basic facts, math operations and math terminology before the end of the school year. Students can be active in the learning process by working at home and being engaged learners in the classroom.
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Memorize Math Facts
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Because all complicated math problems start with basic math facts, a sixth grade student should know these well by the end of the year. Memorizing multiplication and division tables is a crucial skill for pre-algebra, geometry and trigonometry. After sixth grade, there may not be room in the curriculum for times-table quizzes, so this is a skill that needs to be mastered this year. Practice with flash cards for fifteen minutes each day for success.
Learn Divisibility Rules and the Order of Operations
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Divisibility rules are critical information for sixth grade students to learn because they make complicated math much quicker and easier. For example, if a number is even, it will be divisible by two. If a number ends in five or zero, it is divisible by five. Divisibility rules need to be memorized; once they are, they can be used as a first step to solving more complicated math problems. Also, because sixth grade math students will be solving multi-step problems, knowing the order of operations will be key in finding correct answers.
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Practice Problem Solving
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Sixth grade math is about understanding numbers and their relationship to life skills. Vito Perrone, author of "101 Educational Conversations with Your 6th Grader," says that turning everyday life into multiple story problems can encourage a child to be more comfortable with math. For example, he suggests asking a child to figure the shortest routes using maps, the lengths of various buildings or to determine how long it will take to get somewhere if the driver drives at the speed limit.
Learn Mathematical Vocabulary
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A sixth grade student should be fluent in "math words," says the Oklahoma State Department of Education. For example, he should understand terms such as "improper fractions," "mixed number" and "integers." He should also be able to translate story problem vocabulary. For example, a student should be able to read a story problem and figure out if the problem is asking for addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. Understanding basic mathematical terminology will set the student up for success in more advanced math classes.
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