Please help me understand DDs homework?

[ForMashGetSmash]

She's in year 2

I over-complicate things....here is what it says exactly

The Great Fire of London was in 1666

use the numbers 1666 to find:

The highest number by adding them together

The lowest number by taking them away

can you find any other number stories?

I obviously understand the adding part...but the taking away confuses me...

Taking them away from what? DO I take the relt from the addition..19...and add 9 and 1 together? Or am I missing something?

Sorry for my dimness! I got a U in GCSE maths and still find it frightening...I have not asked DD if SHE understand it yet as I don't' want her to share my fear of maths...so I want to understand it before I try to help her complete it alone.

Eek - I feel your pain. I would say the lowest number would be 66-61. The highest 666+1. But don't take my word for it! Best to let her do lots of workings out with all the numbers so she gets a feel for playing around with numbers. My DD is in Y6 and I am really struggling with some of her homework, and I am relatively highly educated....

Okay I don't get it either I think the instructions are very lacking.

I wonder if you are meant to rearrange the number and use it that way?

Oh good! SO happy others are confused! If I a lucky a teacher may come along who understand this kindof weirdness!

1+6+6+6=19
16-6-6=4
unless you want to go negative

but my question would be why are you sweating it

get dd to do it alone

ask her to check it

have a cursory look over

hand it in and get teacher to check it

1-6-6-6 would be even lower.

yes but it would be a negative number and I said unless you wnt to go negative

I would assume year 2 children haven't done negative number lines yet - but might have - so it's up to the child

If you are confused - do you wonder if your DD is as well? Or does she have an idea of what is required?

If in doubt, ask the teacher - possibly the only person who knows what the intention is with this homework. It's also a valuable lesson to your DD - sometimes even Mummy has to ask the teacher!

Activate....I am "sweating" It because as I said, I had and still have a hge fear of maths...and don't want DD to see it...and catch it!

In primary I got massive anxiety attacks due to maths...and if I am helping my 6 year old complete a task ...which I still need to do..she is summer born...and only 6....I want to understand the work myself first.

Elbow...I have not asked DD....I don't want her to ask me for help if she has not grasped it and then fr me to be confused as I get stressed over numbers.

no I hear you

it's just

it's your DD's homework not yours

so let her do it

smile and nod

and no anxiety

also you could get a book on primary maths if you want www.amazon.co.uk/Maths-Mums-Dads-Rob-Eastaway/dp/0224086359/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288889009&sr=8-1

1 - 666 would be lower still.

666 + 1 the highest.

But wait til a teacher comes along

You could have 16 + 66

or

1 + 666

I think the instructions are rubbish but I would ask your dd to do it as she will have been doing similar stuff in class.

if DD asks you for help, say "lets ask Ms xxx tomorrow shall we"

say "Oh I don't know, it is difficult shall we find out from Ms xxx tomorrow"

builds confidence in teacher, confidence in asking questions, confidence that everyone learns every day

www.amazon.co.uk/Maths-Mums-Dads-Rob-Eastaway/dp/0224086359/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288889009&sr=8-1

this book is supposed to be good

If my dc's can't do their homework I write a note to tell the teacher that as the teacher needs to know they can't do it IYSWIM

That is the whole point - it is her homework, and if she too does not understand there is nothing wrong with you both being confused by the instructions. Just hold back on the stress - if you can't do it because you dont understand what is required there is nothing to feel bad about. Tell DD you'll both ask in the morning and do it tomorrow night.

Peculiar homework - I've got 2 good maths A levels and am not sure what this is supposed to be!

I'd suggest you tell her to just play with the numbers first with plus signs, then with minus signs - write the numbers in different order with signs beween and see what she gets. Then at the end write down the highest and lowest she finds.

That doesn't sound too scary and may even be what she's supposed to do!

Agree with activate, but don't tell her it's difficult. Say you're not sure - that's plenty.

yes agree - difficult is wrong word

Oh FFS activate....

it's just

I am her parent

she is 6

I think parents should be available to help

I will hve anxiety even if you kindly tell me not to...

don't patronise me.

I agree that the homework isn't straight forward. And also have two good maths a levels.

Nice try at linking history and maths though :)

I would ask the teacher to clarify it as it could mean lots of different things.

Thank you for the advice...but I have asked about homework on here before and never have I been advised not to help...or to learn how to do it myslef....would you be trlling "Oh it does not matter if you cannot read!" if another parent wanted help with literacy homework?

Yes but if the homework isn't clear in what it is asking you to do, then I don't see how you can start it.

My DS is in year 2 and I always look at his homework with him and check he knows how to start and then let him get on with it. But if it isn't clear what he needs to do then I will ask his teacher the next day.

ForMash seriously, especially with maths, the way they are taught concepts is very different to the ones I was taught I really think sometimes it's confusing and unhelpful to try and teach your children something because you explain it a different way using a different method.

Truly the question is difficult because there is a lack of explanation at what they mean (I did statistics/maths as part of my degree!).

Please try not to stress, your job as a parent is encourage/make them do it not to teach them how to if they don't understand it really can be counter productive.