Creative and Critical Thinking
Skills in Intermediate
Mathematics
Introduction:
Mathematics is not just about numbers and
formulas; it's a field that thrives on creative
problem-solving and critical thinking.
• Critical thinking, according to Scriven and Paul (1987) is the
intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully
conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or
evaluating information gathered from, or generated by,
observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication,
as a guide to belief and action.
Numbers and Number Sense,
Measurement,
Geometry,
Patterns and Algebra, and
Probability and Statistics
Number and Number Sense :
Whole Numbers
In multiplying a three-digit by a two-
digit number, we follow these steps:
Step 1: Multiply the ones place of the
multiplicand by the ones place of the
multiplier.
Step 2: Multiply the tens place of the
multiplicand by the ones place of the
multiplier.
Step 3:Multiply the hundreds place of the
multiplicand by the ones place of the
multiplier.
Step 4: Multiply the ones place of the
multiplicand by the tens place of the
multiplier.
Step 5: Multiply the tens place of the
multiplicand by the tens place of the
multiplier.
Step 6: Multiply the hundreds place of
the multiplicand by the tens place of the
multiplier.
Step 7: Add the partial products.
NUMBER THEORY
• FACTORS
are numbers being multiplied
to find the product
PRIME NUMBER
is a whole number greater than 1
which has only two factors (one and
the number itself).
COMPOSITE NUMBER
is whole number with three or
more factors
PRIME FACTORIZATION
is a process of expressing a
composite number as a product of its
prime factors.
GREATEST COMMON FACTORS
(GCF)
is the biggest number that can exactly
divide the given numbers
MULTIPLES
are products of a given number
and the natural/counting
numbers
LEAST COMMON MULTIPLE(LCM)
is the least number that can exactly
be divided by the given numbers.
DIVISIBILITY
A number, x, divisible by another
number, y, if x+y=z, where z is a
whole number and y ≠ 0.
• A test for Divisibility by 1 Every
number is divisible by 1
• A test divisibility by 3 and 9
• A test for divisibility by 10.
- A test for divisibility by 5.
• A test for divisibility by products.
• A test for divisibility by 11
FRACTION
A mixed number or a mixed fraction is
composed of a whole number and
fraction while an improper fraction has
a numerator which is greater than or
equal to the denominator.
DECIMALS
Decimal numbers are numbers whose
place values are based on 10s.
Whole numbers are actually decimal
numbers that are greater than or
equal to zero
The place-value chart can be extended to
include numbers less than one, which are
sometimes called decimal fraction. A
decimal point is used to separate the
whole number part of the number and the
fraction part of the number.
READING DECIMAL
The casiest way to read a decimal
number is to read the decimal
fraction part as a fraction.
RATIO
Ratios are used to compare amounts
or quantities or describe a
relationship between two amounts or
quantities.
Ratios compare quantities using
division. This means that you can set
up a ratio between two quantities as
a division expression between those
same two quantities.
PROPORTION
is an equation that states that two
ratios are equal. If you know one ratio
in a proportion, you can use that
information to find values in the other
equivalent ratio.
PERCENT
Percent comes from the Latin term
per centum which means per
hundred. Percent is the ratio that
compares a number to 100.
INTEGERS
Integers are like whole numbers,
but they also include negative
numbers... but still no fractions
allowed!
MEASUREMENT
S
SPEED, DISTANCE AND TIME
The relationship among speed,
distance and time can be
expressed in the following
equations:
SPEED is a scalar quantity that refers
o 'how fast an object is moving.".
Speed can be thought as the rate by
which an object covers distance.
DISTANCE is the total length
between two positions.
TIME is the quantity measured or
measurable period during which an
action, process, or condition exists or
continue.
PERIMETER
The perimeter is the length of
the outline of a shape.
To find the perimeter of a rectangle or
square you have to add the lengths of
all the four sides. x is in this case the
length of the rectangle while y is the
width of the rectangle.
The perimeter, P, is:
P=x+x+y+y+y
P - 2x + 2y
P = 2(x + y)
AREA OF PLAIN FIGURES
For finding the area of a polygon, we
consider the enclosed region of the
polygon. Let us consider an illustration
to clarify the idea
SURFACE AREAS AND
VOLUME
Surface area and volume are
calculated for any three-dimensional
geometrical shape. The surface
area of any given object is the area
or region occupied by the surface of
the object
