Mathematics Instructional Learning Community
Mathematics Instructional Learning Community
The Mathematics Instructional Learning Community (MILC) Project is an alliance among Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) math teachers focusing on:
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"Archimedes will be remembered when Aeschylus is forgotten, because languages die and mathematical ideas do not. 'Immortality' may be a silly word, but probably a mathematician has the best chance of whatever it may mean." (Godfrey Hardy)
X-box Factoring
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mdmdavis
Posted 2/11/2009 9:22 AM (#2388)
Subject: X-box Factoring
Math

Posts: 108
100
Location: Henry Clay		Been a long time since I've gotten "excited" over factoring.....But I am now! I have always used FOIL for multiplying and mostly guess and check for factoring. I saw the box method on here for Ch 4. So I showed my Alg 1 kids both FOIL and the box method. I let them choose which they preferred. Well, when test time came, the kids who used the box did SO much better than the kids who did FOIL....hmmm must be something to this! I went back and taught/made everyone do the box method. Then I research how to do factoring with the box. Hence the x-box method. So far the kids are doing well!!! Here is a link to a powerpoint to explain the process.
jaegeralgebra.wikispaces.com/file/view/Jaeger.ppt Oh, before I started this, I spent a whole day doing x puzzles with them. They are on the ilovemath site under Algebr, polynomials and factoring. They are called sum and product pre-factoring puzzles.

Edited by mdmdavis 2/11/2009 9:30 AM




Attachments
----------------
Attachments xbox factoring day 1.docx (59KB - 676 downloads)
Attachments xbox factoring day 2.docx (30KB - 667 downloads)
bdurham
Posted 2/11/2009 10:31 AM (#2389 - in reply to #2388)
Subject: RE: X-box Factoring
Math

Posts: 24

Location: LTMS		For non-monic quadratics (a>1), I have students find the factor pair for a*c that has a sum (or difference, if c<0) of b, then split the "bx" term into these two parts, then use grouping. This seems to be much easier (and shorter) than trial-and-error.
mdmdavis
Posted 2/12/2009 8:46 AM (#2390 - in reply to #2388)
Subject: RE: X-box Factoring
Math

Posts: 108
100
Location: Henry Clay		xbox is a version of splitting the middle term....It's just very visual! We even started on day one with having a leading coeffiecient.
slubbe
Posted 2/17/2009 2:15 PM (#2394 - in reply to #2388)
Subject: RE: X-box Factoring
Math

Posts: 76
252525
Location: PL Dunbar		I have been using the box method as we refer to it, for the last 5 years or so, the kids love it, it really helps them visualize the concept of factoring and it works for everything. Love it!
jbakewell
Posted 3/10/2009 4:47 PM (#2407 - in reply to #2388)
Subject: RE: X-box Factoring
Math

Posts: 30
25
Location: Lafayette		I really like this concept...I have heard of the "x-box" method before (by some version of that name) but have never seen it used. The powerpoint was really helpful in illustrating the method. Thank you for sharing! I may incorporate this in my factoring lesson if not I'll definitely use it next year!
kgillum
Posted 2/25/2010 9:06 AM (#2735 - in reply to #2388)
Subject: RE: X-box Factoring
Counts on fingers & toes

Posts: 15

Oh wow! I've never heard of this x-box method, and here I am a year later looking at the topic. I could've used this method this year, but hadn't checked out all the posts prior to now. Too bad, but it looks like a GREAT method for next year! By the way, I love MILC-just wish I had been using the forum sooner!
pgarr
Posted 10/28/2010 1:00 PM (#2868 - in reply to #2388)
Subject: RE: X-box Factoring
Math

Posts: 9

Location: SCAPA		I have seen students use the x-box factoring but have never 'taught' it. I do plan on beginning my unit this year demonstrating this method and analayze whether students are more successful. I have a feeling they will locate factors more quickly. Thanks for the link.
mgraves
Posted 1/19/2011 2:29 PM (#2878 - in reply to #2388)
Subject: RE: X-box Factoring
Math

Posts: 42
25
Location: Bryan Station		Melissa, I love the power point! I certainly will share it with my staff
mgraves
Posted 1/19/2011 2:30 PM (#2879 - in reply to #2388)
Subject: RE: X-box Factoring
Math

Posts: 42
25
Location: Bryan Station		OOPS Paula I see you sent this not melissa it is great!!!
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