← The Maths They Teach Now · Lesson 3 of 4
Bar diagrams
A bar diagram draws a word problem as rectangles. The whole is one long bar; the parts are pieces of it. "Sam had some sweets, gave away 5, and has 12 left" becomes a bar split into 5 and 12.
Drawing it first stops children from grabbing the numbers and adding them because the word "left" appeared. The picture shows whether you add or subtract.
You can ask "can you draw it?" about almost any word problem, including ones in your own day.
A ribbon is cut into two pieces. One is 30 cm and the whole was 80 cm. How does a bar diagram help?
A lesson is kept once you've answered the question and written at least 8 words. Nobody grades it; it stays on this device.