Mental math for faster calculations and fluency
Mental math is a group of skills that allow people to do math “in their head” without using pencil and paper or a calculator. Mental math is useful in school and in everyday life. Mental math can help kids understand math concepts better and get to the answer faster. Mental math is useful in everyday life to answer questions like: What is the sale price for this item? Do I have enough cash to buy everything in my cart? Am I getting the correct amount of change from the cashier? When should I leave in order to arrive on time? Doing mental math requires strong memory skills. Math facts and other number concepts have to be retrieved from long-term memory. Our brains also use a skill called working memory to keep track of the steps needed to solve a particular math problem. When kids struggle with mental math, it doesn’t mean they’re not smart. Kids develop math skills at their own pace. Difficulty with mental math could be a matter of needing more time and practice to “catch up." T...