Learning by Pattern Recognition

If you study the following figures,

+ 3 6 [first line]
9 [second line]

and

+ 2 4 [first line]
6 [second line]

and if I show you this figure,

+ 5 3 [first line]
_____ [second line]

what do you think should be written in the second line?

if your answer is 8 then congratulations. You have just learn a little of LISP Programming Language. Your brain discovered the answer though pattern recognition.

Method of Teaching : Equation

In teaching Algebra, I allow my students to visualize a see-saw whenever they encounter an equation. The word equation comes from the word equal.

Given an equation, “Y + 3 = 7”, we place the “=” sign at the middle of the see-saw where the fulcrum is located. We place “Y + 3” at the left side of the fulcrum and “7” to the right side.

If the problem requires that only “Y” should remain in the left side, then to remove “ 3 ”, we have to subtract “3”. Since we have to maintain the balance or equality, then we have to do the same to the other side. So we subtract “3” in the left and also “3” in the right.

Y + 3 = 7
Subtract 3 on both sides. See below,

Y + 3    =    7
     - 3   =   -3
=========
Y          =    4

Remember the philosophy “If someone hits you on your left cheek, then let him hit your right cheek, too.” Of course, the hit must be of equal pressure to maintain the balance. He, he, he …

Method of Teaching: Software and Hardware

Whenever I teach computer or information technology to my students at Agoo Computer College, I want to be sure that they clearly understood the difference between software and hardware including the symbiotic relationship between them.

SOFTWARE is an idea or opinion. It is abstract. It does not have any physical attribute. It cannot be seen. There is no color, no taste, no odor, no texture, and no sound.

In contrast, HARDWARE has physical attributes. You can touch it physically. Some have color, odor, or texture. Others have taste or audible sound.

In order for any SOFTWARE to become useful, you need a medium. This medium is a HARDWARE.

Example 1: An author who has an idea (software) must print it on paper (hardware) to produce a useful product or a book.

Example 2: A musical composition (software) must be perform through an instrument (hardware) to produce music.

Example 3: A programmer who has an idea (software) of doing task must instruct the computer to produce output such as printed materials (hardware) or visual display (hardware). Printed materials have physical attributes. Visual display or computer monitor displays colored text or graphical images.

Finally, the plural form of software is software NOT softwares. The plural for of hardware is hardware NOT hardwares.