World of Tan 26 - Old chestnut

1517 /www/nrich/html/content/02/02/tan1/ 5 2011-02-01T00:00:01 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <mdoxml version="1.0"> This activity follows on from <a href="http://nrich.maths.org/public/viewer.php?obj_id=1515&part=index">World of Tan 25 - Pentominoes</a> <mdo:flash height="380" id="/content/02/02/tan1/1517.swf" width="600"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="/content/02/02/tan1/1517.swf"></param> <param name="flashplayerversion" value="7"></param> <param name="height" value="380"></param> <param name="width" value="600"></param> </mdo:flash> Granma T: Oh dear! First day back from school and the children are arguing already! (overheard...) Little Fung: It can be done! Little Ming: No it can't. We showed you that at the end of the lesson, can't you remember? GT: Why all this noise? Is there no homework to do? If not ..OUT into the yard there is much to do there! Help the men tidy away. LF: Not that old chestnut again! GT: Pardon? LM: Little Fung asked about old chestnuts? LF: That's right. Just what are they? What does it mean? GT: Out, finish off out there - we can talk about this later! LM: That's cool! GT: Pardon? Whatever does that mean? (...and out into the yard the children go to help whoever is there. Meanwhile back in the office...) GT: Little Fung is getting cheeky. And that is so out of character. Mai Ling: Sign of the times, Granma T, I am afraid to say. GT: But things are getting better - we are more prosperous, there is nothing we go without... ML: It is not like the old days and all the uncertainties of yesteryear. GT: Whatever was all that nonsense about 'old chestnuts'? ML: I'mnot sure but I feel certain that over your meal tonight you will be cross questioned, as the children do like to know and are not afraid to ask. GT: Yes, but that is good. And I know they ask a lot of questions at school - which is very good. The teachers must be wearied by my two alone! ML: When I was at school no - one was allowed to speak unless spoken to. GT: Times - they arechanging, Mai Ling. Even the lessons that the children do are so different from what you or I did as children. It is much more interesting, much more demanding. There is so much to make them think for themselves. ML: Certainly the problems the children bring home keep all of us here busy every now and again. GT: You are right - I wonder what it will be tonight? ML: It might be something about language? All that fuss about old chestnuts... GT: It is the ones to do with mathematics that cause me the most problems. ML: Well, there are enough problem solvers here except .... (...Mai Ling's words are drowned out by the children coming back in...) Little Fung: It can be done! Little Ming: No it can't. Don't you ever learn? GT: And so on and on we go till suppertime .......CHILDREN........... in the meantime, complete the silhouette of a brazier used to roast chestnuts. Can you resolve Little Ming and Little Fung's argument? Here is their diagram: <mdo:image alt="picture" height="423" src="chestnut2.gif" width="314"></mdo:image> There are more activities in the <a href="http://nrich.maths.org/public/viewer.php?obj_id=1517&part=note">notes</a> . The story continues in <a href="http://nrich.maths.org/public/viewer.php?obj_id=1518&part=index">World of Tan 27 - Sharing</a> . </mdoxml> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <mdoxml version="1.0"><mdo:image width="246" height="254" src="1517.gif" alt="Solution to brazier"></mdo:image> </mdoxml> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <mdoxml version="1.0">Children you might like to: <ul> <li>Find all the references to time within the story and list others that could have been used.</li> <li>Consider the phrase "that's cool". Discuss what it means and give examples of when you might use such a term.</li> <li>Talk about the different ways in which you work while at school.</li> </ul> <div>Parents you might like to:</div> <ul> <li>Explain the terms 'old chestnut' and 'that's cool'</li> <li>Help try to solve the problem in the activity, and show what this problem has to do with the mathematician called Euler.</li> <li>Look up and discuss the words unicursal and transversable.</li> <li>Pursue similar problems - remember trying to join up 5 dots when you were young?</li> </ul> <div>Teachers you might like to:</div> <ul> <li>Explore other words/ phrases that are similar to 'old chestnut'</li> <li>Show why the problem Little Ming and Little Fung were arguing aboutcan or cannot be done</li> <li>investigate at greater length the mathematician Euler and what he is famous for</li> <li>Use the Internet to find similar problems. Hint: research Hamiltonian journeys/ salesmen journeys find appropriate mathematical 'old chestnuts' for the children to solve. </li> </ul> </mdoxml> 2 4 0 1 0 0 0 World of Tan 26 - Old chestnut Can you fit the tangram pieces into the outline of this brazier for roasting chestnuts? Mathematics Tools Tangram Transformations and their Properties Compound transformations Using, Applying and Reasoning about Mathematics Practical Activity Using, Applying and Reasoning about Mathematics Visualising Information and Communications Technology Interactivities