Choosing the right strategy
Mathematics · Mathematical Thinking · meta
Select and use appropriate tools and representations strategically, including choosing between mental methods, jottings, formal algorithms, and calculators for arithmetic with multi-digit numbers, decimals, and fractions
What mastery looks like
- Choose a mental method for 345 + 200 but a written method for 345 + 278
- Select a ruler vs a metre stick based on the object being measured
- Decide when a number line is more useful than base-ten blocks for a given problem
Check your understanding
When Choosing the right strategy faces a maths problem, do they think about which method suits it best — like doing easy ones in their head, using a written method for bigger calculations, or sketching a diagram for geometry?
Prerequisites
Required first
Helpful