I was interested in how differently long division is apparently taught here in Australia.
What's the difference?
22b when I was a child we were taught to write the zeros in and why they were there (and I have checked with age peers and they had the same experience). Infact I think I peraonally was first taught to start the problem by writing in the zeros that will be required on each line before starting calculations (highlighting that i was dealing with tens, hundreds, thousands and so on), and it was also later examined why leaving the zeros blank would not change the outcome. I am not sure but I THINK it was eventually allowable to leave blanks but one friend I asked was adamant that this was always frowned upon...
My DD is in 6th and has also been taught to write in zeros and why you need them...
This approach seems to completely cut through a lot of the problems, confusions and angst raised in the book.
Thanks for the explanation. I'd consider that just a cosmetic difference. The methods are almost identical.
Faddish example: our schools don't teach long division at all anymore, it got dropped from the curriculum for being irrelevant (or too hard?)
That's sad. They should at least present it and if just some kids get it, that's okay.
