Teaching children combine estimates will improve their mental math.
Making mathematical estimates is often a part of fifth-grade math classes. Teaching children estimate numbers is a skill that will stand them in good stead throughout their adult lives. Using the skills of estimation, you can teach children to do more complex math and help them build on their knowledge foundation. Combining estimates is a way of adding two numbers in a simpler way. Instead of resorting to a calculator, you use estimation tricks to solve the problem.
Instructions
1. Teach the students to round numbers up or down to the nearest manageable number. For example, if they are adding 143 and 561, they can add 140 and 560 to make 700. This is the most basic form of combining estimates.
2. Use estimates to get the correct answer. In the example given above -- 143 + 561 -- the estimate result was 700. Teach the students to use the estimates to get the correct answer by removing the difference between the estimate and the actual number. So, they can add 3 and 1 to the total to get 704. This will give them the correct answer from their estimate.
3. Teach the students to add longer digits together using the skills of estimation. To add 5,678 and 1,234, you first make a very rough estimate using the first digits: 5000 + 1000 = 6000. This is your roughest estimate. You now refine that by adding the second digits. Then add 600 and 200 to get 800, which gives you 6800. Repeat this process until you have the exact answer.
Tags: correct answer, Teach students, estimates correct, estimates correct answer, skills estimation
