Calculator use in Principles of Mathematics/Videotext Algebr

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farmfamily
Posts: 237
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:20 pm

Calculator use in Principles of Mathematics/Videotext Algebr

Post by farmfamily » Fri Feb 09, 2018 11:52 am

I am surprised by the amount of calculator use in POM Book 1, which my sixth grader is doing. My eighth grader is in Module E of Videotext Algebra and has never used a calculator for math. She routinely does difficult arithmetic in Videotext on paper. I am concerned that my next child won't be able to do Videotext unless she uses a calculator. Do those of you who use Videotext allow a calculator? Has anyone made the transition from POM to Videotext?
blessed to be married 17 yrs to my hardworking farmer dh, mom to:
daughter 13 MTMM
daughter 11 Rev to Rev
son 10 CTC

Enjoyed Little Hands, LHFHG, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, Res to Ref, and Rev to Rev!!

StephanieU
Posts: 1652
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 7:10 pm

Re: Calculator use in Principles of Mathematics/Videotext Al

Post by StephanieU » Fri Feb 09, 2018 12:52 pm

We haven't used either program, but my daughter is doing Horizons 6. There are times it tells her to use her calculator. They're are other times she has to do just as complicated arithmetic by hand. On the calculator sections, it is because the skill worked on is not arithmetic. It is weird problems or averages normally.
So my question would be if there are times they work on the arithmetic without a calculator? If so, it is probably fine. Both are necessary skills. In the real world, you aren't going to multiply 124536*32457 by hand. Yes, it is important to know how, but it isn't worth doing page after page of that over and over again.
Mom to
DD15 US1 (completed LHFHG-WH)
DS13 MtMM (completed LHFHG-Rev2Rev plus some of LHTH)
DD12 Rev2Rev (completed LHTH-RtR)
DS7 Beyond (completed LHTH-LHFHG)

Nealewill
Posts: 1611
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 5:08 pm
Location: Cincinnati, OH

Re: Calculator use in Principles of Mathematics/Videotext Al

Post by Nealewill » Fri Feb 09, 2018 6:47 pm

POM 2 does not use a calculator nearly as much. I was of the same philosophy as you....wow, they use a calculator a lot! But now that my oldest is using POM 2, she uses it way less and does a lot of math in her head or on paper. I think you child will be just fine going into VideoText with using POM2.
Daneale

DD 13 WG
DS 12 R2R
DD 10 R2R

Enjoyed DITHOR, Little Hearts, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, R2R, RevtoRev, MtMM

farmfamily
Posts: 237
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:20 pm

Re: Calculator use in Principles of Mathematics/Videotext Al

Post by farmfamily » Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:26 pm

Thank you. That is reassuring!
blessed to be married 17 yrs to my hardworking farmer dh, mom to:
daughter 13 MTMM
daughter 11 Rev to Rev
son 10 CTC

Enjoyed Little Hands, LHFHG, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, Res to Ref, and Rev to Rev!!

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