SAT Math: Solving Strange Operations (continued)
Topics: Math, High School
5) Read the answers, and offer a prize to the winner, or to everyone who broke both codes.
“You are good at this.”
6) Extend the lesson to math. Show your teen this problem:
Let @x represent the number of different pairs of positive integers whose product is x. For example, @16 = 3, since 16 can be written as 1*16, 2*8, or 1*16.
Problem: What is the value of @36?
Solution: The Code Key told us the meaning of the box is to find the factors of 36: 1*36, 2*18, 3*12, 4*9, 6*6
There are 5 pairs of factors, so the answer is 5.
7) One more problem:
Let “&x “ mean “13 – x”
Problem: Which is bigger, “&5” or “ &4” ?
Solution: The Code Key told us that “&” means to subtract the number from 13. So…
“&5” = 13 – 5 = 8 WHILE “&4” = 13 – 4 = 9
Cindy Donaldson, BS Mathematics, taught Math, Business, and Computer Science at Menlo-Atherton High School for seven years. She has also worked as a tutor for SAT and SAT II test preparation. She is the mother of two young daughters.
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