Standards of Mathematical Practice - One Standard at a Time

Mathematical Practices are embedded in every math lesson we teach.  The Standards for Mathematical Practice describe varieties of expertise that math educators at all levels (K-12) should seek to develop in their students.  These practices rest on important "processes and proficiencies" with longstanding importance in mathematics education.

Mathematical Practice #6

Attend to precision.

What should students be able to do?

• Communicate precisely with others and try to use clear mathematical language when discussing their reasoning.
• Understand the meanings of symbols used in mathematics and can label quantities appropriately.
• Express numerical answers with a degree of precision appropriate for the problem context
• Calculate efficiently and accurately.

Questions the Teacher Can Ask to Develop Mathematical Thinking:

• What mathematical terms apply in this situation?
• How did you know your solution was reasonable?
• Explain how you might show that your solution answers the problem.
• What would be a more efficient strategy?
• How are you showing the meaning of the quantities?
• What symbols or mathematical notations are important in this problem?
• What mathematical language..., definitions..., properties can you use to explain...?
• How could you test your solution to see if it answers the problem?