Prime Numbers and Factoring in Palo Alto

In perhaps the most helpful children’s math book I’ve read to date, Richard Schwartz teaches your child prime numbers and factoring in the book You Can Count on Monsters. I recommend this book to all children in the Palo Alto School District as well as the other Bay Area districts. The only prior knowledge your child needs in order to follow along with this book is how to multiply whole numbers. Schwartz introduces factor trees as an easy way to factor numbers. Schwartz matches a ‘monster’ image to each number. As your child goes through each number from one to one hundred, there is a factor tree for composite numbers and a number (with no factor tree) if it is prime. This easily allows your child to identify the prime numbers. The colorful artwork will keep your child’s interest up while they learn the difficult subject of prime numbers. Many children struggle with understanding prime numbers and You Can Count on Monsters is the perfect book for making prime numbers less scary for your child. At the Palo Alto-Menlo Park center, we sometimes use this book to help children who are having a difficult time learning prime numbers. I without a doubt recommend you pick up a copy of this book and read it with your child. For more information about math books and math help check out our website.

Image from hunterteachingtales.blogspot.com

New Moon Math in Palo Alto

Tonight there will be a New Moon that we can see here in Palo Alto. For those of you who don’t know, a New Moon is the first phase of the moon. For us humans here on planet Earth, this is the point where the moon is closest to the Sun in the sky. I encourage you all to go outside tonight and take a nice evening stroll around your neighborhood with your family (and dog if you have one) and gaze at the moon and the stars. Marvel at its beauty and when you return home, why not practice some New Moon themed math problems with your children?

Image is from the spirit science.net

Here are some fun moon themed math problems. Some of these problems are more suitable for younger children while others are for older children.:

1. The distance from you in Palo Alto or Menlo Park (or insert city where you live), CA on planet Earth to the moon is approximately 238,900 miles. If 1 mile is approximately equal to 1.6 kilometers, how far is the moon in kilometers?

2. The circumference of the moon is about 6,784 miles. (*Note: Circumference= 2(pi)r. Round pi to 3.14.)

a) What is the radius of the moon?

b) What is the moon’s area?

For more math problems and fun, check out Mathnasium of Palo Alto-Menlo Park: http://www.mathnasium.com/paloalto-menlopark

Pizza Counting Math Problems in Menlo Park

Finally, a book that combines two of your child’s favorite things in Menlo Park – pizza and mathematics! Pizza Counting by Christina Dobson is a fun and creative way for your child to learn the basics of counting, addition, multiplication, division, and fractions. As toppings are added to each pizza, your child will learn addition by adding the toppings on the pizza. When the pizza is cut into several different pieces, your child is introduced to division and fractions. This book is more of an exciting set of word problems with pictures than it is an actual story. With fun facts interspersed throughout the book (such as the number of pizzas it would take to circle the Earth at the equator), Pizza Counting will keep your child engaged and excited to learn math. If you are looking for a new way to practice math with your child in Menlo Park, this book is for you. Both you and your child will find this book a refreshing change from the normal pen and paper math problems. I recommend all parents in the Palo Alto and Menlo Park area head over to Books Inc or Keplers to pick up a copy of Pizza Counting.

Image from amazon.com

Clothing Math at the Stanford Mall

The Stanford Mall is my favorite Bay Area mall! With beautiful, brightly colored flowers, the outdoor mall is truly one of a kind! Lucky for you, you now have a reason to go to the Stanford Mall because your daughter has experienced a rapid growth spurt and outgrown most of her clothing. There are tons of shops at the Stanford Mall so you’re certain she will get lucky somewhere- Abercrombie and Fitch, GAP, Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, the options seem to go on forever!

In the meantime, your daughter could use some extra practice with math and money management! Why not kill two birds with one stone and help her build these skills as well?

Here are some fantastic shopping-related math problems that you can do with your daughter. Ready, set, go!

Image from harpergites.com

1. Abercrombie and Fitch is having a jean sale of up to 25% off. You find one pair that was originally $55 and is now 15% off. The other pair of jeans you like were originally $60 but are now 25% off. Score! What is the current sale price of both pairs of the jeans that you want?

2. After you buy the jeans, you head over to Urban Outfitters to pick up some fashionable finds. You desperately need tops and dresses. You get lucky and find a dress for $22.99, 2 tops on a 2 for $15 deal, and a tunic for $45.99. If sales tax is 7.5%, what is the total cost with tax of your Urban Outfitters purchase?

For more math-filled fun, check out Mathnasium of Palo Alto-Menlo Park: http://www.mathnasium.com/paloalto-menlopark

Probability Word Problems in Atherton

In another wonderful book in the Pigs Will Be Pigs math series, Pigs at Odds by Amy Axelrod helps children in Atherton and the rest of the Bay Area to learn basic probability. When the Pig family goes to the county fair, there are many fun and exciting games to play. With the chance of winning prizes in certain games, probability principles are at play. When the pigs decide to play spin the wheel, odds otherwise known as a probability problem is particularly apparent. Mr. Pig spins the wheel several times, but he still does not spin and land on a whinning space. In this scenario, the probability of landing on a winning space is likely poor due to his experience. To be certain, Axelrod provides questions at the end of the story for your child to answer this question based on the information provided in the story. There is also a useful definition and example explaining what probability is and when it should be used. The Pigs series does not fail to disappoint and Axelrod delivers another helpful and interesting pig math story. I recommend Pigs at Odds to all young children in the Menlo Park and Atherton area who are beginning to learn the basics of probability.

Image from educatorsoutlet.com

School Supply Math in Palo Alto

With summer reaching its last few weeks here in Palo Alto, school is right around the corner. And with the start of school, comes school supply shopping! I don’t know about you, but shopping for school supplies was always my favorite part of the new school year. With shiny, colorful new Five Star notebooks, freshly sharpened No. 2 pencils, and nice, clean-looking binders…ahhh to be young again and searching for school supplies! Those were the days.

While your child is still in school and needing to shop for school supplies, why not incorporate math into school supply shopping? There are tons of places to buy school supplies near Palo Alto and Redwood City- Rite Aid, Office Depot, Staples, and more!

Image from juliagreenes.mnps.org

Here are some fun math problems for your kid to practice while they shop! Who says you shouldn’t have your child calculate their total as they shop?

1. You buy 3 notebooks for  $5.50 each, 4 binders for$4.25 each, and a composition notebook for $3.75. How much money do the notebooks, binders, and composition notebook cost in total?

2. You love adding a pop of color to your studying so you buy a package of pens for $2.25 and 2 packs of highlighters for $3.50 each. If you add this to your cart with the notebooks, binders, and composition notebook, how much money will your total come out to be?

3. You add a few more items to your cart. The total comes out to $77.95. In California, there is a sales tax of 7.50%.

a) How much will sales tax be for your purchase?

b) What will the total cost including sales tax be?

For more math problems and fun, check out Mathnasium of Palo Alto-Menlo Park: http://www.mathnasium.com/paloalto-menlopark

Breakfast Math in Palo Alto

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and on a relaxing Saturday morning, there are few things I want more than a delicious, healthy brunch. My all-time favorite breakfast spot is Calafia in the Town and Country Center in Palo Alto. I definitely recommend taking your child to breakfast at Calafia on a Saturday morning during the school year and then heading over to their tutoring session at Mathnasium of Palo Alto- Menlo Park for a wonderful, math-filled morning. In the meantime, here are some rad math problems about this cool place in Palo Alto:

1. You, your mother, and your younger brother are super hungry and decide to order a few different items off of the menu to share. You order the Vegan Love Fest Pizza ($11), the Crimson Quinoa Salad ($10), a side of oatmeal ($9), and a fruit cup ($5).

a) What was the total cost of breakfast for the three of you?

b) How much did breakfast per person?

2. You are about to pay, but your mother decides to bring breakfast home for your dad who is sick with a cold. She decides to order the Tofu Scramble ($12) to go for him. Due to the fabulous food and friendly service at Calafia, your mother decides to leave a nice tip of 20% of your total bill. How much money does your mom leave as a tip?

Now that you’re all fueled up with yummy and nutritious foods, you will feel energized and focused for your session at Mathnasium of Palo Alto-Menlo Park. And isn’t it nice to spend quality time with your mom and brother? This could easily become a Saturday routine!

Image from calafiapaloalto.com

For more fun math problems, go to www.mathnasium.com/paloalto-menlopark