First Problem
There are 12 people at a New Year’s Eve party. At midnight they all exchange kisses. How many kisses altogether?
What if there were 50 people at the party?
Second Problem
After counting the number of square in a chessboard 8 by 8, I try to do the same way, but for different form of chessboard. I chose rectangle chessboard (5 by 4). From this chessboard, I would like to find how many squares could be on the chessboard.
Modelling and Problem Solving
by Irfan Rusmar, 19th February 2011
by Irfan Rusmar, 19th February 2011
First of all, we have to think what the modelling is, and the relationship between modelling and the Problem Solving in mathematics lesson. According to Pollak (2007), Modelling is the process including structuring a model of object, with the aims to describe the object behave. Moreover, model of the object is a replica or imitation of the object, for example, miniature of house, guitar and etc. Therefore, the process to make a model of an object to explain how the object behave called the modelling process.
Problem Solving is a method in teaching mathematics by giving several problems that have some extensions in solving it, with the aims to encourage higher-order thinking of students. In my opinion, this method is extremely important for teachers in their teaching and learning process. The reason is that teachers can provide some fun activities, which can motivate students to learn more about mathematics with the meaningful process because they can fully understand what they have learnt.
The modelling process can be related to the real world mathematics. This process aimed to give the real objects for students in term of learning mathematics. The reason is that students can be more active and creative to construct their own ideas to generalized mathematical context. This is in line with Alsina's (2007) explanation, which state that teaching and learning mathematics will be better if there is something that can be structured from the extra mathematical world. This means that everything we want to do in mathematics, we have to cope with nature, culture and society. So that the result will be increased the students' creativity and minimized their limitation in learning mathematics. However, it is not easy to teach by using this process. Teachers have to know the process of modelling that include 6 stages. First, specify the problem, where we have to know what exactly the problems and the result that the problem asks us to cope with. Second, formulate the problem into mathematical domain, and third solve it. Fourth, we have to interpret the problems into the real world situation. Fifth, compare it and sixth, communicate it.
