Nathan's Homework

Sometimes when Jeff is helping Nathan with his math homework, Jeff has to have me help instead. It is not that Jeff can't do second grade math, it is just that Jeff doesn't always understand what the teacher is asking. I think the course of "Math for Elementary" has come in handy because up until now I have still been able to get not only what the teacher is teaching but how the teacher is teaching it. Yesterday was the first day I had to look up a definition in order to help Nathan, I am sure it will not be the last time I will need to study myself in order to check a child's home work.

The question was "What is this shape called? Give two reasons why." Jeff had no problem identifying the shapes (obviously). But to Jeff, the second part of the problem seemed a little silly. "It is just the way it is." As I discussed with Nathan the possible answers, let's use a triangle as the example. We all know what a triangle looks like, but what are the reasons that make a shape able to be classified as such. I pointed out that it had no curves, three sides, and three angles. Nathan wrote down "3 vertices". Now I figured he was probably right, because I can't imagine where he would have come up with and spell correctly the word "vertices" if he had not learned it in math class. I knew that "vertex" was a point when graphing, so I assumed that there was a connection there. But I knew that the definition did not come quickly to my mind so I had to look it up and then check with Nathan. I asked Nathan what the word "vertices" meant, he explained it was the points on a plane shape (or shape's that were flat). He said it was plural for "vertex". I am sure I knew all of that once, it sounds vaguely familiar. He was so proud when he realized I was not asking to quiz him, but for my own understanding. He told me I could blog about how he knew something I didn't know, so I snapped this picture and promised I would blog.