JAMAL PRACHA
INVESTIGATION 4
This project is when I learned the math concepts of PEMDAS and the distributive property. In Investigation 4 I practiced PEMDAS and the distributive property by answer questions that involve these math concepts. The purpose of this is to help me be more fluent in these math concepts. I completed investigation 4.1 to 4.3 to learn these math concepts. The requirements of this project were to build an understanding of PEMDAS and the distributive property. I had to understand what operation came first in order to solve a multi-step problem.
One of the hardest challenges was to be organized when solving a multi-step problem. I got confused on what I was working with. I also got confused because I did all my work in a straight line to solve a problem. I overcame that challenge by using a triangle to organize all me expressions so that I can see them clearly. An expression is a number sentence with or without a variable that does not have an answer. Another challenge was making sure I was doing all the operations in the problem in the right order. This was a challenge because sometimes I would do multiplication before parenthesis and addition before division. I overcame this challenge by saying the order of operations in my head while I was doing a multi-step problem.
My first artifact is investigation 4.1 when I learn PEMDAS. It consists of problems that have multiple operations in them. This investigation is important because I learned all of the specific rules for PEMDAS. I learned that PEMDAS means parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction. This is the order of operations. I also learned that you do multiplication and division from left to right and addition and subtraction from left to right in this investigation. In problem B.1 I did -7x4 and then 8/2 and then added both of those together to get -24. I think I grew in inquiry because I thought about which operation I needed to do first and which one second. So first I multiplied then I divided and after that I added.
My second artifact is investigation 4.3 where I learn about the distributive property. This investigation teaches you about the distributive property in expanded and factored. The distributive property is used when you are multiplying and adding and/or subtracting with three or more numbers in an expression. This is important because it can help me make expressions easier for me to solve.
There are two ways to write the distributive property in an expression. They are expanded and factored form. Expanded form is for example is turning this expression 3 x (2+3) to this expression 3 x 2 +3 x 3. They both equal the same answer which is 9. Factored form is the other way around so turning this expression, 3 x 2 +3 x 3, to this expression, 3 x (2+3). In questions B.1 and C.1 I use and grow in expanding and factoring expressions using the distributive property. I think I grew in inquiry because I asked myself if which way would be easier to solve. I think that factored form is easier to use. I also think I grew in Inquiry because I asked myself which operation I needed to use in order to get the right answer because you still have to use PEMDAS in the distributive property.
To me Inquiry means to ask questions that will help you better understand something or to better accomplish something. So in this case I asked myself which form would be easier for me to use and why is it important to know both factored and expanded form.
By learning these math concepts it implies that I can correctly use PEMDAS and the distributive property. This also implies that I can turn an expression into a way that makes it easy for me to solve. This can help me later on in my life to find the number of items I have or find the cost of something.