Singapore - solving word problems with bar diagrams

[deltagal]

Hi there,

I have one child who is S.L.O.W. to grasp the concepts in Singapore. I spend a great deal of time trying to break them into simpler problems and practice, practice, practice. Our latest success story is solving the bar diagrams in 5A. These are the steps I broke it into for him and it is working!

1.) Read problem and identify total amount
2.) Draw bar to represent total amount
3.) Divide bar into correct number of units
4.) Decide how much one unit is worth
5.) Use the value of one unit to solve the problem

Note this is only for the problems that give you a total amount. Tomorrow we begin work on what to do when you only know some of the amount.

Progress. Progress. Progress.

[pjdobro]

Wonderful! I love your step by step process for figuring out the bar diagram. I think the bar diagrams are an ingenious way to see problems and solve them without using algebra and your step by step method makes it easy to set-up. I think I'll print it out to help my dc! Thanks!

[my3sons]

Way to go! I'm so glad ds is making progress. I have come to really love the bar diagrams, but it took me a bit to get used to using them. I bet your step by step process appeals to ds as it breaks down the steps into smaller parts. We just started the bar diagrams with Riley, and I can see them beginning to click. It's great you have found a way to help ds that is working - progress indeed!

In Christ,
Julie