Varying your approaches to teaching variables

Abstract

Our previous article Getting the balance right: The equals sign presented activities which can be used to introduce children to translating and solving word problems using equations where the unknown is represented with a frame. The PSMC recommends such algebra work for third and fourth class pupils. Children in senior classes are expected to translate word problems into equations where the unknown is represented with a variable. Variables are symbols (e.g. letters) that take the place of numbers or ranges of numbers. At primary school level, the main focus/use of variables is to represent an unknown quantity e.g. 5 + r = 30. Variables are also used to express rules e.g. A = L x W (area = length x width) and D = 2 X R (diameter is twice the radius). This article presents approaches which facilitate the meaningful introduction and consolidation of primary school children’s understanding of variable (i.e. a letter/symbol that represents an unknown). Conceptual understanding of the concept of variable is fundamental to further study of algebra and is “necessary for the meaningful use of all advanced mathematics” (Schoenfeld and Arcavi, 1988: 420).