Most/ Least Important Idea(s) and Information- Reading a Problem

Mojgan Faghani Most/ Least Important Idea(s) and information- Reading a problem

The main reason for learning all about math is to become better problem solvers in all aspects of life. Many problems are multi-step and require some type of systematic approach. Reading a problem is not the same as understanding a problem. Simply reading the problem slowly, and over and over again, does not help in understanding the problem. There are a couple of things you need to do when solving problems. The KMWC( Know/Model/Words/Cross out) is a method which helps your student to break a word problem down to 4 steps. (Please see the attached Template from the student resource).

Description of KMWC

This method is used for helping students decode the word problem to in their own language as well as representing the data in an alternative format such as visual illustration or manipulatives.

KMWC elements are;

• K: What fact do I Know from the info in the problem? • M: Can I Model the situation with a picture or manipulatives? • W: What does the problem ask me to find? • C: Cross out any facts that are not needed?

Purpose of using KMWC method;

• Unblocks information presented in the problem • Represent information in an alternative format

When you do problem solving in your classroom, you may direct your students to use the KMWC graphic organizer with a selected problem. When students start to scan the problem and list facts you should be accepting of all of the facts regardless of their relevancy to the problem. Ask your students to make a model of the problem. The model can be a diagram or creative visual illustration of the facts. Try to walk around in order to help students and watch for any misinterpretation of the given facts. Use the KMWC filed template to solve the problem.

Sample Activity:

Mojgan got a Puppy for Christmas. Wanting to create a doghouse in her large backyard, Mojgan persuaded her husband to buy enough wood to create a rectangular doghouse with a slanted roof (triangular prism). This doghouse has a length (front to back) of 1.6 metres a width (side to side) of 1.2 meters and a height (bottom to base of roof) of 1 meter. The roof (triangular prism) has a height of 50 centimetres. The house is painted green. When Mojgan’s friend John asked if he could bring over his dog, a Labrador retriever, to stay with them over Christmas holidays, Mojgan laughed and said that John’s dog would rub off his fur if he tried to fit into the dog house as the doghouse is too short for John’s dog! John complained that Mojgan a could have used the same amount of wood to make the dog house ceiling taller so that John’s dog could also fit. Is this true? Justify your answer. Reading a problem, KMWC Template

K: What facts do I KNOW from the information in the problem?

1. Mojgan got a puppy for Christmas 2. Rectangular doghouse with a slanted roof 3. Dog house is 1.6 metres a width (side to side) of 1.2 meters and a height (bottom to base of roof) of 1 meter 4. The roof (triangular prism) has a height of 50 centimetres 5. Mojgan has a friend named John who has a Labrador Retriver 6. Dog would rub off his fur if he tried to fit into the dog house 7. John claimed a bigger dog house with the same amount of wood could be built 8.

“What words or ideas don’t I understand?” M: Can I MODEL the situation with a picture or manipulative?

“Is there any missing information that I can estimate?” W: WHAT does the problem ask me to find? Is it true that by changing the dimensions of the dog house, dog house could of have more space?

C: CROSS OUT any facts that are not needed. Facts# 1,2,4, 5 and 6 are not needed.

Think Literacy: Mathematics Subject- Specific Example

Black Line Masters

Solve the following word problem using the KMWC template,

Activity One:

The sports commentator on the CFXU radio station summarized the points scored by the St. F. X. Basketball Team during this season as follows: "The SMU scored a total of 1729 points in the last season. This year St. F. X. scored of 1653 points. ST. F.X. received 38 percent of the points for the total season of all 4 teams. SMU finished in second place. Acadia received only 14 percent of the points and was beaten for third place by Dalhousie by 50 points." If there were only 4 teams in the season, how many points did each team receive?

Activity Two:

Merry has a large back yard. Two trees of height 20m and 30m have ropes running from the top of each tree to the bottom of the other tree. How high above the ground do the ropes intersect? The trees are 40m apart.

Activity Three:

Jane has a small bookcase in her room that has three shelves. When she organized the seventy-two books in her fantasy book collection it was filled. She counted twelve hardcover books on the bottom shelf and half the remaining books on each of the two other shelves. How many books were on each of the last two shelves? (Jim Cornish, Gander, Newfoundland, 2004) K: What facts do I KNOW from the information in the problem?

“What words or ideas don’t I understand?”

M: Can I MODEL the situation with a picture or manipulative?

“Is there any missing information that I can estimate?”

W: WHAT does the problem ask me to find?

C: CROSS OUT any facts that are not needed.