Benton's Integers Scribe Recording

January 6 - Integers Unit Day 1

 Today, January 6, 2013, we learned the basics of integers and how to add them. We used a variety of ways to determine the answers to the questions, such as writing it out, using chips and using a timeline. In this post I shall explain and chronicle today's lesson.

 Integers are negative and positive numbers that can be thought of in terms of money, in that you can have and owe money, much like positive and negative integers. Integers sometimes have brackets around them, however, the brackets are purely aesthetic and to not change anything, positive integers can be written with or without a + sign, again, completely aesthetic.

 The first technique we were taught was writing the equation out in words. Using the terms have for positive integers and owe for negative integers.
 E.x.  (-10)+(+8)=(-2)
        I owe 10 and have 8 = I owe 2

 The second method we were taught was using chips to represent the integers. This method works especially well with equations that contain smaller numbers.
E.x.  (+6)+(-4)=(+2)
        + + + + + + 
        - - - -

As you can see, the four positive chips and the four negative chips cancel each other out, this is referred to as a zero pair.

 The third and final method we were taught was using a number line to illustrate the equation. This method is particularly useful when dealing with equations that contain larger numbers.
 E.x.  (+25)+(-11)= (+14)                               +25
                                                     0 --------------->
                       _______________ |_______________
                                                                <----------

                                                                     -11

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The Number line technique 

                                                                      

       An example of zero pairs

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