Number Sense Blog

The History of Mathnasium

By Mathnasium | January 13, 2021

When starting a new year, it’s always good to look to the past, appreciate what has happened, and focus on what lies ahead. Today we’re going back to the beginning of Mathnasium and invite you to take the quick journey with us!

In the 1990’s, education industry pioneers Peter Markovitz and David Ullendorff recognized that to truly be successful in school and in life, students need a solid understanding of mathematics. There was a vast disconnect, though, between students’ learning skills and the math curriculum they were taught in school.

To address that gap, they founded Mathnasium — a math-only learning center committed to providing the world’s best instruction. Their goal: teach children how to think, with the skills to succeed in math and the confidence to achieve their academic potential.

After an exhaustive search, they found the perfect person to help them achieve their vision: Larry Martinek, a beloved educator, teacher trainer, and curriculum consultant. Larry and Mathnasium’s expert team spent years refining the most powerful teaching methods and materials into the comprehensive, industry-leading Mathnasium Method™.

The trio opened the first Mathnasium Learning Center in Los Angeles in late 2002 and began franchising in 2003. The extraordinary dedication of Mathnasium’s local center owners and staff, combined with Mathnasium’s child-centered approach, proved wildly successful. Mathnasium has become an award-winning, world-class math education company, and global demand for our service has soared.

Today, Mathnasium changes the lives of more than 100,000 children in neighborhood learning centers on five continents. If you haven’t visited your local center to learn how Mathnasium can change your child’s life, now is the time. We’re looking forward to meeting you!

Number Sense Is the Key to Success in Math!

By Mathnasium | January 2, 2021

Regardless of age or skill level, there are almost always gaps in a child’s foundational understanding that, if addressed, would boost their success in math.

When we give assessments to children in our math learning centers, we see that a high proportion of their knowledge gaps stems from a lack of number sense. Number sense is “the ability to appreciate the size and scale of numbers in the context of the question at hand.” In essence, it’s the understanding of what numbers mean, how they work together and how they connect to real life. It’s critical that children have a firm grasp of number sense, because it underlies all mathematical comprehension and ability. Typical math tutoring does not teach number sense, acting as a bandage rather than a cure for the problem.

Word Problem Wednesday: Mathematical Mixed Bag IV

By Mathnasium | December 30, 2020

We feel like we can never have enough examples of math in real-world situations. They help keep skills sharp and make sure that we can handle whatever comes our way. This week’s word problems do just that in what we call a “mathematical mixed bag.”

Look below and choose the word problem that’s the right skill level for your child. Have them give it a try. And when they feel they’ve found the answer, check their solution against ours on the next page.

Word Problem Wednesday: It’s A Wild World Out There

By Mathnasium | December 23, 2020

Animals in the wild are amazing! Whether it’s a sea turtle, a blue whale, a giant panda, or a lemur, they pique our interest and capture our hearts with their unique and untamed ways.

This week’s word problems focus on these fascinating creatures and give kids an opportunity to hone their math skills. Look below and choose the one that’s the right skill level for your child. Have them give it a try. And when they feel they’ve found the answer, check their solution against ours on the next page.

Word Problem Wednesday: Fractional Reasoning

By Mathnasium | December 16, 2020

When you take a whole item and break it into equal parts, what you get is one — or more — of those equal parts; these are known as fractions. This may sound very math-y and complicated, but each of us works with fractions all the time and may not even realize it! Slicing up pizza for a group of friends, estimating the amount of gas in the gas tank, and calculating the number of hours slept (or not slept!) are just a few instances when we likely work with fractions.

This week’s word problems give your child an opportunity to practice fractional reasoning. So take a look below and choose the problem that’s the right skill level. Have them give it a try. And when they feel they’ve found the answer, check their solution against ours on the next page.

Word Problem Wednesday: Mathematical Mixed Bag III

By Mathnasium | December 9, 2020

The great thing about word problems is that they help us understand the world around us. This week we have another “mathematical mixed bag” of questions ranging from flowers in a garden to kitten sleeps.

So look below and choose the problem that’s the right skill level for your child. Have them give it a try. And when they feel they’ve found the answer, check their solution against ours on the next page.

Word Problem Wednesday: Birthday Bonanza

By Mathnasium | December 2, 2020

Cake, decorations, family, and friends — who doesn’t love a good birthday celebration? Every 365 days, each one of us gets the opportunity to celebrate another trip around the sun. And whether we’re counting candles or figuring out how long it will take us to put up streamers and balloons, there are tons of opportunities to use math.

This week’s word problems help kids see that math can be part of their birthday preparations. Look below and choose the one that’s the right skill level for your child. Have them give it a try. And when they feel they’ve found the answer, check their solution against ours on the next page.

Great Gifts for Math Lovers 2020

By Mathnasium | December 1, 2020

Does someone on your “nice list” love math? Well, have no fear: Our 2020 Holiday Gift Guide will help you find that perfect gift for the math-y people in your life!

Companies large and small (Amazon, O Magazine, The New York Times — to name a few) often release holiday gift guides to make shopping for family, friends, and loved ones easier. And we do too! One exciting addition to our lineup this year is a set of recommendations from our learning centers across the country. We’ve included the names of those centers as a shout-out for their contributions. Keep your eyes open for something from the center nearest you — they may have just had you in mind when they submitted their suggestion!

Word Problem Wednesday: Pleasant Pastimes

By Mathnasium | November 25, 2020

There are so many fun ways to pass our time. And whether we’re fishing, visiting theme parks or jet skiing, there are always opportunities to put math into the mix.

This week’s word problems will help your child think critically and fine-tune their math skills while pondering their own favorite hobbies. Look below and choose the one that’s the right skill level for your child. Have them give it a try. And when they feel they’ve found the answer, check their solution against ours on the next page.

Word Problem Wednesday: How Much … How Many? (Part Deux)

By Mathnasium | November 18, 2020

Last week, our word problems gave kids such great practice in figuring out “how much or how many” of a given thing, we decided to go another round!

This week’s problems help answer practical questions such as “How much food do we need to buy for our family pets?” and “How many tickets did we sell for the event?” So delve into the problems below and choose the one that’s the right skill level for your child. Have them give it a try. And when they feel they’ve found the answer, check their solution against ours on the next page.