For a video description of the MathWise series of workbooks click on the "Follow the Author" - Peter L. Wise.
MathWise books are specially designed to be unique and effective.
Math textbooks and workbooks typically have a mini-lecture at the beginning of each lesson, and then have pages of problems. Students often get impatient with the explanations and have difficulty knowing how to proceed to work the problems. The format looks dry and boring, and students lose interest.
MathWise books communicate with students as they work through the book. The answer boxes teach good technique, neatness, and organization. Students are guided through the steps in a fun, friendly way, with speech bubbles giving hints and explanations.
MathWise books emphasize deeper level understanding of the material—how and why math works the way it does. The key is: “Understand more, memorize less.”
MathWise books all work together to ensure the development of strong number sense and mathematical thinking.
MathWise Fractions, Book 2 teaches LCM (least common multiple/denominator), adding fractions with unlike denominators, reciprocals, fraction cancellation techniques, dividing fractions, visualizing fractions by breaking them apart, multiplying/dividing mixed numbers, ordering fractions (3 ways), fraction regrouping, subtracting fractions of amounts, and estimating with fractions and mixed numbers. Additional enrichment material is included at the back of the book.
Students benefit, not only from the fractions instruction, but from the skillfully-designed problems that teach students how relate numbers to one another.
This book is not only appropriate for enrichment, pre-teaching, and review, but also as a refresher for an older student who needs to develop greater facility with fractions.
Peter Wise, a veteran teacher of over 30 years, has developed innovative and strategic methods for teaching math and motivating students. He has coached math teams and taught hundreds of students in before- and after-school math clubs. The students he teaches typically make 2-3 years’ growth in math in one year. His teaching techniques have been featured in newspaper reports and recognized on tv. He is a member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and was nominated for Teacher of the Year in California and Colorado.
His own two children (who helped him with the MathWise books) competed successfully in state and national math competitions.
A resident of Colorado, he also enjoys music, chess, and hiking.
