Choosing mathematical tools
Select and use appropriate tools and representations strategically: choose between mental, written, and diagrammatic methods; use calculators for checking; select fraction models suited to the task
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Teaching Table
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“When your child is working on maths, do they choose the right method — doing simple calculations in their head, using written working for complex ones, and sketching a diagram when a problem involves shapes or fractions?”
Full guide and materials
- Activity. Select and use appropriate tools and representations strategically: choose between mental, written, and diagrammatic methods; use calculators for checking; select fraction models suited to the task
What to notice. Decide to use mental multiplication for 25×4 but a written method for 167×3 • Choose fraction strips rather than a number line to compare 3/8 and 1/4 • Use a ruler and squared paper to verify area by counting squares after calculating l×w
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When your child is working on maths, do they choose the right method — doing simple calculations in their head, using written working for complex ones, and sketching a diagram when a problem involves shapes or fractions?
Select and use appropriate tools and representations strategically: choose between mental, written, and diagrammatic methods; use calculators for checking; select fraction models suited to the task
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Check understanding
- Decide to use mental multiplication for 25×4 but a written method for 167×3
- Choose fraction strips rather than a number line to compare 3/8 and 1/4
- Use a ruler and squared paper to verify area by counting squares after calculating l×w
“When your child is working on maths, do they choose the right method — doing simple calculations in their head, using written working for complex ones, and sketching a diagram when a problem involves shapes or fractions?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Meta
- Subject
- Mathematics
- Domain
- Mathematical Thinking
- Age range
- Ages 8–9