[mflannery]

In reading the Algebra Progression I have a problem with the words “cancel” and “cancellations”.  I have found through the years that it a source of confusion for students.  What exactly does it mean mathematically?  Students want to use the term cancel to  mean dividing like terms to get 1.  They also want use the term cancel when adding opposites to get zero.  I think we need to be careful and make this distinction.  We also need to ask our students to make this distinction when they are solving equations.  In recent years I have not allowed the “c” word.  We need to say what we mean.

[Author]

Posts