Is This The Most Versatile Maths Matrix Ever ?
Hello. For decades now I have been teaching mathematics to students of all ages, from age 4 to adult.
I've learnt many things, and made many mistakes. But there's one thing that never lets me down in lessons- a really good mathematical surprise can be hugely motivating for students of any age.
WHY does it work? HOW does it work? These questions lie at the heart of mathematical discovery.
Many years ago I came across just such a piece of mathematics. Putting the numbers 1 to 16 in a grid, the teacher asks a student to choose any number they wish. This number is circled, and then all the remaining numbers that are in the same row or column are crossed out
This process is repeated until four numbers are chosen. The four chosen numbers are added up - and the total is 34! You can watch a demonstration here.
So it's always 34, right? Wrong!
Contrary to popular belief, this '34' grid is only the very basic version of the matrix.
But after a while, my students and I began to wonder: 'Does it always have to be 34?'
I couldn't help but wonder:
What If You Could make ANY Total?
And so began a fascinating piece of research into the matrix grid. After weeks of experiment and conjecture, I had a breakthrough. I realised that it was actually possible to create a grid that would produce whatever total I wanted!
What sort of totals might it be fun to create?
And Now You Can!
I am delighted to be able to finally release this closely-guarded secret. Finally, you can do all of the above, WITHOUT DOING ANY OF THE HARD WORK! Simply type your required total into the spreadsheet, and let it work its magic. That's it! What's more, there is also a second option for you to continually change the numbers until you are happy - but without losing the magic formula that make it all work. Here's how easy it is to use:
Information
you cannot Go Wrong!
No matter what your required number is, this matrix will do all the hard work for you. Watch the video below to see how simple the process really is.
Here's A recap:
Builds Fluency
Children will want to do loads of calculations as they get to grips with this!
Walkthrough Guide
Foolproof instructions are included - anyone can do this and fool people into thinking they're a magician.
Great for Curiosity
This is bound to create loads of interest in your maths lessons or assemblies!
Improves Reasoning Capacity
Wondering why, and looking for patterns are the most important parts of learning maths!
Versatile Resource
YOU can create ANY total, even though your spectators have a free choice of most of the numbers chosen.
Builds a Love of Mathematics!
Your friends or pupils can't fail to be impressed by the magic of maths after this!