Mat h Fo r M a n i ac s

Quote of the day.

October 30th, 2009
“If you think math is not simple then
you don’t understand how difficult life is”

SSIS SCHOOL
GR 6 BLOCK C By. Giang
MR.JOHNSTON’S CLASS

Math Maniacs Algebra gives us a

special way of solv-
Table Of Contents
ing problems.

Algebra and Math. 1 Learning how to use

signs and symbols to
solve expressions.
Why study Algebra? 1
Good to use back-
Interview: The Geeky 2 wards thinking.
Math Teacher. Easy but sometimes
Math is used everyday. It’s as easy as ABC!
Roman Numerals 2 also difficult to
solve. Algebra is important in
(easy to write a poem hard
math. to do the math).
Pascal’s Triangle 3 B2/2=12
To use many good
Read problem care- strategies
Math Jokes 4 fully before you
HA HA HA !!! is useful.
solve it.
The End 5 Helps us solve problems
Algebra is hard. in life.

The truth is that you really do not need algebra unless you plan to
study it or use it in a scientific profession. But before you put away
your algebra books, let me give you some good reasons for learning al-
gebra. Algebra is a very abstract. Algebra is a very abstract. Algebra
is a very unique discipline. It is very abstract. The abstract-ness of
algebra causes the brain to think in totally new patterns.
-Takuya
Page 2 Math For Maniacs

I walked into Mr. Johnston’s class-
room, an inviting place to learn. It’s
beanbags carpet, tables and chairs
gave it a distinct coziness. When I
came in Mr. Johnston invited me to
sit down at his desk. As I sat down, I
asked him a question that had been
bothering me since a week ago. “Do
you think algebra is easy to learn?”
After a moment of silent, he replied,
“It can be hard for a lot of people in
the beginning because they can’t get
themselves to work down.”
After that I asked another said goodbye and left the interview,
curiosity I had been itching to ex- feel free to ask questions! Pretty
plore “Was Algebra easy for you to much every math teacher will an-
learn?” To that he replied, “It was swer them. EXPLORE!!!!
hard for me in the beginning be- -By Dominique
cause I couldn’t grasp the concept
of working down.” Then at last I
asked a final question “ Just how
difficult can Algebra get?” He an-
swered, “It got the hardest for me
in 7th and 8th grade, after that I
had some great teachers so my skills
got evened out.” On this thought we

Roman Numerals by Cassie

As it says in the title, roman numerals come from Rome. Roman numerals do not have the usual 1, 2, 3. instead the
Romans used symbols to symbolize their numbers. The symbols the Romans used were a lot like today's alphabet. The
symbols from one to ten are
I=one IX=nine
II=two X=ten
III=three
IV=four
V=five
VI=six
VII=seven
VIII=eight
As you notice some of the numerals make more sense than others do. For instance I make sense because it is one
tally mark (that is where we got tally marks came from). Two and three are the same. Four is like the I means one before
five because five is V. same with nine. six is different. The I is after the V. that is because the number six is after five.
There is a lot more numerals than what I mentioned but they get very complicated and that is why most countries
stopped using the Roman numeral system.
 Pascal’s Triangle is a table that is written with

a power of 11. On the first row, there will be 110

which is 1. On the second row, there will be 111 which

are 11. On the third row, there will be 112 which are

121 and so on.

Pascal’s Triangle is made by lots of people but many

people know that Blaise Pascal made it. On 13th century, Yang Hui (1238-1298) presented a

Pascal’s Triangle so Chinese think Yang Hui made Pascal’s Triangle.

In addition, Petrus Apianus (1495-1552) published Pascal’s Triangle and that

was first record in Europe.
In Italy, Niccolò Fontana Tartaglia (1500–1577) published Pascal’s Triangle in 1545.
Finally, in 1655, Blaise Pascal wrote a Traité du triangle arithmétique (Treatise on
Arithmetical Triangle) which is about Pascal’s Triangle. The triangle was later named after
Pascal by Pierre Raymond de Montmort (1708) and Abraham de Moivre (1730).
Pascal’s Triangle also has lots of patterns. “Math for Maniacs” will tell you 3 patterns
of Pascal’s Triangle. The first pattern is if you add up the numbers in any row of Pascal’s
Triangle then it always obtains a power of 2. For example, in fifth row 1+4+6+4+1 is 16 which
are 24. On a picture you will see a - - - sign. That called “almost diagonals”. If you add num-
ber in a row of “almost diagonals” then it will be a Fibonacci sequence. The third pattern,
every row of the Pascal’s Triangle is palandromic numbers. Palandromic number means when
you read the number from front or back, the number is still same. There are a lot more of
patterns. “Math for Maniacs” found about 8 patterns. Can you find some patters???

Bibliography: My math teacher, Mr. Johnston

By: Min Seo (G6)
Math Jokes>3< By: Cassie, Dominique, and Min Seo
Teacher: "Who can tell me what 7
times 6 is?"
Student: "It's 42!"
Teacher: "Very good! - And who can
tell me what 6 times 7 is?"
Same student: "It's 24!"
A mathematician is flying non-stop
from Edmonton to Frankfurt with
Air Transat. The scheduled flying
time is nine hours.
Some time after taking off, the
pilot announces that one engine had
to be turned off due to mechanical
failure: "Don't worry - we're safe.
The only noticeable effect this will
have for us is that our total flying
time will be ten hours instead of
nine."
A few hours into the flight, the pi-
lot informs the passengers that an-
other engine had to be turned off
due to mechanical failure: "But
don't worry - we're still safe. Only
our flying time will go up to twelve
hours."
Some time later, a third engine fails
and has to be turned off. But the
pilot reassures the passengers:
"Don't worry - even with one engine,
we're still perfectly safe. It just
means that it will take sixteen
hours total for this plane to arrive
in Frankfurt."
The mathematician remarks to his
fellow passengers: "If the last en-
gine breaks down, too, then we'll be
in the air for twenty-four hours
altogether!"
The chef instructs his apprentice:
"You take two thirds of water, one
third of cream, one third of
broth..."
The apprentice: "But that makes
four thirds already!"
"Well - just take a larger pot!"
Q: What is the most erotic num-
ber?
A: 2110593!
Q: Why?
A: When 2 are 1 and don't pay
at10tion, they'll know within 5
weeks whether or not, after 9
months, they'll be 3...
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