Decimals Without Tears

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31318, 14 March 1967, Page 11

Decimals Without Tears

Shopping for Presents Which of the toys below could each girl pay for exactly using only the coins chosen from those in her purse ? There may be some money left after you have bought the toy.

Set out your work like this: i Rata could buy C, D and F.

Primary and intermediate schoolchildren under the Canterbury Education Board have adapted to lessons on decimal currency without tears for the innovation or for the virtual disappearance of £ s d from arithmetic. Indeed, their interest has

Coins

C ioc+sc+2c=i7c D 2OC + SC-|-2C=27C F 2oc+ioc4-ioc+sc+2c+2c=49c

been heightened in the last week or so by the arrival of “Decimal Currency”— book one, one for every two pupils in standards I and II; book two, one for every two pupils in standards 111 and ? IV; and book three, one for * each pupil in forms I and 11. I Each primer four class has also received five copies of book one. "Many adults are in more of a flap about decimal currency than any child,” one headmaster said. “The reason is simple. Children begin using decimals as part of school routine. They always have. The only real change is that instead of talking about 1.25 apples we now speak of one dollar 25 cents.”

Another headmaster agreed that children were very adaptable. “They are used to syllabus changes, they enjoy something new, and the carefully-graded lessons make It interesting.” Most primary and intermediate schools “phased out” multiplication and division in £ s d last year. Teachers began to talk about decimal currency generally and to pose simple problems. Pounds, shillings, and pence survive this year chiefly in “shopping sums”— the simple addition and subtraction still necessary in adding up a grocery list and calculating change. The staff of one primary school claimed that their pupils already knew well the new coins and “how many cents make a dollar.” They said they would take to the news books “like ducks to water.”

However continual practice would be needed on conversion of £ s d to decimal currency. Teachers said they considered this a useful exercise mentally and also a useful exercise in case shopkeepers slipped in their dealings with children. “By the tenth of July this year’ woe betide anyone who makes an error with a child,” said one teacher. “He’ll hear of his mistake from the child for sure.”

Book one begins in friendly fashion. “Have a careful look at a one-cent coin. What are some of the things you can see and feel?” asks the first sentence.

Then comes the first problem: “Write yes or no for these sentences about cents; One side has a drawing of Queen Elizabeth. One side has a picture of a fish. The edge of the coin is smooth. One side has four stars.

The value is stamped on both sides.

in higher coins, shopping and banking exercises.

The cent is lighter than a penny. A cent is coloured silver. A cent is smaller than a penny. Schools have received sample sets of coins in plastic. The next problem is a game. "Sit at one desk with your partner and close your eyes while he places a onecent coin on the desk beside your finger. With the tip of your finger try to feel which side of the coin has been turned upwards. Take turn about The first one to get 10 right is the winner.” Book one continues with problems and games with cents, numerical pattern recognition, design differences

Book two opens with the dates on which other countries “went decimal,” discusses the New Zealand structure, writing' and speaking decimal currency terms, weights and sizes of the new coins and so on to multiplication, division, pay lists, and other working problems. Drawings of four little birds end book 1. “Well that's decimal currency friends- Easy isn’t it?” says one. . “Easy, yes,” Bays the second. “A fine system,” says the third. “Wonderful-—and I’m glad we’ve finished,” says the fourth.