Binary

Maths pedagogy is oft rushed. We encompass topics also quickly, nosotros essay regularly, nosotros repeat the same matter every year. By Year 10 our pupils are bored. It's as well as then unnecessary as well as frustrating. If alone nosotros spent to a greater extent than fourth dimension on rich Mathematics. I'd honey to deadening down, become off on tangents, permit my pupils investigate as well as discover... The alone fourth dimension I learn the hazard to digress from the Scheme of Work is at the destination of the summertime term.  So I seize the chance to engage my pupils inwards interesting concepts as well as ideas - similar the binary system.

It's tardily to learn pupils interested inwards this topic. Here's around suggestions:

• Show them a painting demo of a binary watch. I 1 time knew a Year xiii who genuinely wore 1 of these to schoolhouse every day! My pupils were intrigued past times this as well as wanted to know how to read it.
• You could atomic number 82 into this theme through other seat out systems (Roman Numerals etc).
• Perform this fantastic binary magic trick.  My pupils loved it! They were desperate to know how it worked.
• Tell them the joke "There are alone 10 types of people inwards the world: those who sympathize binary as well as those who don't". 

Here's a few examples of resources y'all could purpose inwards a binary lesson:

• Nice PowerPoint 'Binary Bot' from MauveStorm on TES (designed for Key Stage two only could live on used for Year 7/8)
• The slides that I purpose when I learn binary.  Includes how to count binary on your fingers! 
• Binary Window Frames from mathsticks.com (free registration to access)
• A worksheet to practice converting to as well as from binary
• Binary Crossums
• PowerPoint from teachitmaths.co.uk on binary, denary as well as hexadecimal numbers
• Teaching binary using cups
• Lots to a greater extent than resources listed inwards this blog.

Last twelvemonth I went to a fantastic lecture past times Simon Singh (@SLSingh) close Maths inwards the Simpsons.  His book 'The Simpsons as well as their Mathematical Secrets' is absolutely brilliant, a must-read for all Maths teachers.  Singh writes close a scene inwards the Futurama episode 'The Honking' inwards which Bender is alarmed when he reads the binary code 0101100101. When read inwards a mirror, the code reads '666'.  I told my Year 13s close this - they loved it. I wanted to demo them the clip from Futurama only all I institute was this YouTube video in Castilian (?) which they view was hilarious. I also explained the reference to the 'Redrum' scene inwards The Shining - most of them had never seen the cinema as well as then I showed them this clip as well as managed to terrify one-half the class! Myself included. :)