Tables tester
All primary and secondary students in the ECU Mathematics Problem Solving Program are expected to have a high level mastery of the basic number facts, also referred to by many people as ‘the arithmetic tables’. The ECU Tables Tester is designed to help students achieve this mastery.
The ECU Tables Tester assumes that the user already has a good understanding of numbers, based on varied experiences with counters, blocks and other physical materials. It also assumes that the user knows about the base ten system and what it means to add, subtract, multiply and divide.
The ECU Tables Tester should not be used by students who have no way of working out that, for example, 8+7 = 15.
Levels of difficulty
The ECU Tables Tester has two levels of difficulty within it.
Level 1 (Normal)
Level 1 provides practice with the range of number facts listed above. There is a Demonstration Module linked to Level 1. This level can help students to achieve instant recall of the following basic number facts:
- Addition
From 0+0 to 10+10, For example: 7+9 = 16 - Subtraction
From 0-0 to 20-10, For example: 16-9 = 7 - Multiplication
From 1x1 to 10x10, For example: 7x6 = 42 - Division
From 1÷1 to 100÷10, For example: 42÷6 = 7
A Level 1 user who fails any question on three successive attempts is automatically referred to the Demonstration Module for help.
Level 2 (Hard)
Level 2 is more difficult. This level provides practice with the following range number facts:
- Addition
From 0+0 to 10+20, For example: 7+19 = 26 - Subtraction
From 0-0 to 30-10, For example: 26-7 = 19 - Multiplication
From 1x1 to 10x20, For example: 7x16 = 112 - Division
From 1÷1 to 200÷10, For example: 112÷7 = 16
Students should not attempt Level 2 unless they already have high levels of mastery at Level 1.
Reference: Nathan Hoffman, "The Teaching and Learning of Basic Number Facts", Educational Studies in Mathematics, 8 (1977), 391 - 398