Sa-Shai Daniels' Portfolio

In math class we learned how to use generic rectangles and algebra tiles. We also learned how to factor with them. They help you to visualize the problem, and put the puzzle together. Most of the work that we did with generic rectangles and algebra tiles was in our text books. We started out by using the algebra tiles because they are easier to use, and could give us all of the variables inside the square or rectangle. Then we moved on to generic rectangles. Using those was a little bit harder because we often only knew the four values that made up the area as a sum. Sometimes we were only given the two numbers in the generic rectangle and we would have to figure the others out. After we had the inside of the rectangle filled out we started to factor them.

 

There were quite a few times when I had trouble factoring generic rectangles, but my real problem was always the equation part of it. It was easy up until we went back to only numbers. Factoring equations would have been much harder if we hadn’t used generic rectangles and algebra tiles. It took a while for me to figure out how to manage without drawing rectangles on my paper all the time, but I did a lot of extra practice at home and eventually I overcame it.

 

The biggest thing that I learned during this process was how to make a math problem into an image so that it would be less like solving a math problem and more like putting together a puzzle. I can use this method for other things in math as well. In the future when I’m having trouble I can simply draw out the problem to help me solve it. Learning this has improved my ability to visualize my problems; whether they’re math problems or not.

 

I would choose persistence as a quality that goes well with this subject. I don’t think I ever use persistence more than I do in math class. Math is the subject that I have the most trouble with, and a lot of the time I feel like giving up, so I have to use persistence to accomplish what needs to be accomplished. Persistence means never giving in to the part of yourself that wants to give up, and that’s what I had to do during this math unit.