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Mnemonic Weekly Tip
# 5 October 13, 2002 |
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| Many individuals, both children and adults, have
difficulty with fractions. There are a number
of reasons why they have problems with fractions, but one of the most frequently observed
is the problem of reducing improper fractions and converting fractions into decimals. When confronted with these situations, the
individual does not remember if the number on the top is divided into the number on the
bottom, or the number on the bottom is divided into the number on top. This is an either/or situation; a confusable for
many. |
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| The Mnemonic |
The swimming pool: By
visualizing or actually drawing a swimming pool next to a fraction, the person can easily
remember which number to divide into which. |
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| The number on the diving board dives into the pool that becomes a division
problem. This simple mnemonic eliminates the confusion. |
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