Mathday – Mathematical Dreams

For the next few months, every Monday (“Mathday“), 1 Smart Mama will feature a brief but challenging equation, comment, quote, or link designed to help you and your family think in the language of math.

Mathday, January 21 || Mathematical Dreams

This week, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I want to show you an example of mathematical language in the famous “I Have a Dream” speech:

“Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.”

• What is a score? 20 years. So, “five score” would mean… 5 x 20 = 100.
• This speech was delivered in 1963, so Lincoln signed the Proclamation in… 1963 – 100 = 1863.

See, anything can contain a word problem! Make it a game: invite your children to play detective and pounce on examples of “math speak” in the news, on TV, or in your family’s conversations. The more you practice speaking mathematics, the easier it will become.

Also see “Enjoying Math in 2013“, “Tackle Math with New Enthusiasm“, and “Bargain Shopping Skills” for more math minutes to share with your family.