Faculty Publications

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book/Conference Title Title

Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics Journal

Volume

36

First Page

4

Last Page

21

Abstract

What Is Number Sense?

The primary goal for elementary and middle school mathematics is to help students learn to use numbers meaningfully, reasonably and flexibly in everyday life. This means that students must develop a deep understanding of

-- numbers and operations,
-- when operations can appropriately be used to solve problems, and
-- judging the reasonableness of their solutions to problems.

They also need to develop attitudes so they

-- believe they can make sense of mathematics, and
-- habitually try to make sense of mathematics.

In other words, students need to develop number sense.

Understandings Needed for Number Sense

To develop number sense related to a specific topic students need to have a deep understanding about

1. when to use that topic in everyday situations,
2. how to represent that topic in multiple ways, and
3. how to think and reason with that topic in multiple ways.

Department

Department of Mathematics

Comments

First published in Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics Journal, v. 36 (2009), pp. 4-21, published by Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Original Publication Date

2009

Repository

UNI ScholarWorks, University of Northern Iowa, Rod Library

Copyright

© 2009 Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The copyright holder has granted permission for posting.

Date Digital

2009

Language

EN

File Format

application/pdf

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