Method of teaching arithmetic

• US 20070218433A1
• Filed: 03/14/2006
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apolonia Vanova
• Original Assignee: Apolonia Vanova
• Inventors: Vanova, Apolonia
• Granted Patent: US 8,371,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/188
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/025 with electrically operated apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

A method of teaching basic arithmetical calculations is embodied in a novelty electronic graphic calculating device having a user interface for displaying method steps. The method involves displaying two or more collections of individual icons associated with two or more operands; selecting an arithmetical operation to be performed on the two or more operands; regrouping the individual icons into a collection of individual icons associated with an answer to the operation on the operands; and, displaying the collection of individual icons associated with the answer in sets of ten icons. The method permits visual regrouping and carry-over for teaching and learning mental computation of the four basic arithmetic skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Claims

1. A method for teaching arithmetic on an electronic calculating device, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying two or more collections of individual icons associated with two or more operands;

selecting an arithmetical operation to be performed on the two or more operands;

regrouping the individual icons into a collection of individual icons associated with an answer to the operation on the operands; and

, displaying the collection of individual icons associated with the answer in sets of ten icons.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the regrouping is displayed as an animation showing icons moving in groups from the collections associated with the operands to the collection associated with the answer, each group having a number of individual icons equal to one of the operands, the movement of icons having a noticeable pause between the groups and a noticeable pause between the sets of ten icons.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the arithmetical operation is multiplication or division and the collection of individual icons associated with the answer is regrouped as another collection of individual icons and displayed in a number of groups equal to one of the operands.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the arithmetical operation is addition, subtraction, multiplication or division.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the movement of the icons is associated with musical notes audibly played upon movement of the icons, the musical notes forming a melodic sequence.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein groups of icons are distinguished by color.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an animated character on the display of the calculating device to assist in prompting input from a user of the calculating device and/or to assist in pointing out to the user important aspects of the method.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the icons represent one or more living organisms.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting a level of difficulty associated with the arithmetical operation.

9. A method for teaching arithmetic on an electronic calculating device, the method comprising a learning mode, the learning mode comprising the steps of:

selecting a first number;

displaying the first number as a first collection of individual icons associated with the first number, the first collection having a total number of icons equal to the first number;

selecting a second number;

displaying the second number as a second collection of individual icons associated with the second number, the second collection having a total number of icons equal to the second number;

displaying an arithmetical operation between the first and second numbers;

generating and displaying an answer based on the first and second numbers and the arithmetical operation; and

, regrouping the first and/or second collections of individual icons into a third collection of individual icons having a number of icons equal to the answer, each icon in the third collection associated with a number from 1 to the answer, the third collection of icons displayed in sets of ten icons.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the regrouping of the first and second collections of icons is displayed as an animation showing icons moving into the third collection in groups, each group having a number of individual icons equal to the first or second number, the movement of icons having a noticeable pause between the groups and a noticeable pause between the sets of ten icons.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the arithmetical operation is multiplication or division and the third collection of individual icons is regrouped as a fourth collection of individual icons and displayed in a number of groups equal to the first or second number.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fourth collection of individual icons is displayed in a grid having a plurality of boxes, each box containing one individual icon.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing an animated character on the display of the calculating device to assist in prompting input from a user of the calculating device and/or to assist in pointing out to the user important aspects of the method.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the selecting steps are made by a user with input means on the electronic calculating device.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the arithmetical operation is addition, subtraction, multiplication or division and is selected by a user prior to selecting the first number.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the movement of the icons is associated with musical notes audibly played upon movement of the icons, the musical notes forming a melodic sequence.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein groups of icons are distinguished by color.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising a practice mode in which the animated character provides less assistance in prompting input from the user than the animated character provides in the learning mode.

20. The method of claim 9 further comprising a testing mode in which a user inputs the answer and an indication of whether the answer is correct or incorrect is made by the electronic calculating device.