Four Gone

The four button has dropped off!

How can you do these calculations using this calculator?

Four Gone Calculations

A Mathematics Lesson Starter Of The Day

Starter of The Day Transum Mathematics Topics


Topics: Starter | Arithmetic | Calculator | Mixed | Problem Solving

  • Lucianna Tebbs, Great Missenden C Of E School
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  • Its really fun the first one was easy though.
  • Transum,
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  • Unusually working out the answer to the calculation in your head does not necessarily lead you to the correct method of doing the calculation on this strange calculator. The thinking has to be about an equivalent calculation that does not contain the number four.

    What a great way to practise mental arithmetic skills in a way that requires you to think about the meaning of the calculation and how the calculation can be adapted to produce the same result. This exercise could help uncover misconceptions and strengthen the mathematical understanding of your pupils.
  • Miss Carr, Hingham
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  • I used this as a reasoning starter.
    It really provoked interesting discussion with my children about the different mathematical laws, of brackets, factorising, of the memory key on the calculator, compensation the list goes on...
    Great especially as reasoning is one of the key areas of mathematical learning.

How did you use this starter? Can you suggest how teachers could present or develop this resource? Do you have any comments? It is always useful to receive feedback and helps make this free resource even more useful for Maths teachers anywhere in the world.
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Answers

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Extension

Here are some more advanced calculations to do with a scientific calculator without using the 4 button.

\( \dfrac{3}{4} \times 360^\circ \) \( 2^4 + 4^2 \)
\( \log_{4} 64 \) \( \sin 45^\circ + \cos 45^\circ \)
\( \sqrt{144} + 4! \) \( \sqrt[4]{256} + 14^2 \)
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