Guessing Correctly

Everyday we use some sort of estimation or as I would like to call, guessing correctly. I use my techniques mainly in the kitchen on a daily basis, especially when I am tying to recreate a recipe of a main course, side dish, or snack that I recently loved. I throw a little of this and a little of that into the bowl and go to work trying to recreate something, sometimes it works out in my favor and others, well let's just say we won't be making that again. 

In general, Math has always been an "easier" topic for me, but this week, in my Math summer course, we are talking about estimation I am finding myself more and more confused and even more frustrated. I can't estimate correctly apparently. I don't know why Math needs to be a topic that is so complex.

The topics that we are discussing this week are on estimation and several different methods, such as, how to use front-end estimation to determine a correct answer for adding or subtracting several numbers together. Front-end estimation is a method used to round down or up to the nearest ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc to estimate the correct sum of several numbers.

(A view of front-end estimation)

In the classroom there are several different methods to use when teaching students how to correctly add or subtract several numbers together. Once students understand the whole concept of front-end estimation, it would be a great resource.


http://www.aasd.k12.wi.us/staff/boldtkatherine/MathResources3-6/Math_Rounding&Estimating.htm