Walking with Barton

About the Book

WALKING WITH BARTON Walking with Barton comprises eight short stories involving young Barton’s life experiences in different real-life situations. Mathematics problem solving is the main focus of the stories and the content includes solving such problems involving time, money, measurement, space and shape and puzzles. In The Newspaper, Barton assists his family in calculating the cost of a monthly newspaper subscription. This story engages the reader in solving multi-step problems involving time (using the calendar) and money. In The Wall, Barton helps his friend, Mr. Albernatty, to calculate the cost of erecting a wall. The problems engage the reader in using measurement concepts such as area, rates and direction proportion. These concepts are used to calculate the cost of labour and materials required to construct the wall. In The Magic Square, mathematical vocabulary is reinforced illustrating the meaning of critical words such as horizontal and vertical. Quantitative reasoning is emphasised in solving the puzzles. In What to Plant, Barton is engaged in spatial reasoning, as he assists Mr. Albernatty in solving problems involving the location the position of trees and a garden tap. In Barton’s Verses Barton uses his literacy skills to create a poem on the importance of numbers. In The Solution, Barton and a group of friends raise funds to assist a family in meeting expenses during a period when the head of the household was temporarily incapacitated. The mathematics includes computation in money and time. The Crossword also draws on literacy skills in solving problems involving mathematical terminology. In Barton Divides, once again Barton helps Mr, Albernatty to decide on the location and the layout of crops in his garden. Problems involve the calculation of area and the application of the principles of measurement, to solve problems.

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