AU2015200374B1 - "Number cruncher": Decimal Number Expander - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract The device is a teaching tool that demonstrates base ten decimal place value by using modules that attach to each other sequentially to form a set. The modules slide 5 together and apart laterally whilst remaining clipped together until the clip mechanism is released by the user. Each module has an erasable, blank writing surface with a sliding clip mechanism to the right of the writing surface. Each module in a sequenced set will have one place value from the Base Ten Decimal Number System (example: thousands, hundreds and tens) imprinted on the slide, so that when the modules are 10 pushed together the slides and imprinted values are obscured from view. Single numerals can be written on each of the blank writing surfaces to form multi-digit numbers so that when the modules are slid away from each other the imprinted values on the slide are revealed and subsequently assigned to the attached digits. This allows the demonstration of the fact that each digit in a number has a place value. 15 Furthermore, the digits can be separated, paired or grouped in any combination to show the relationship between place values, for example: the number 200 can be two hundred ones or twenty tens and zero ones. The modules of the device are imprinted with the full range of place values in the Decimal Number System including decimal fractions.

Description

1 DESCRIPTION The invention relates to a preferred form of a mathematical educational device used for the teaching of place value related concepts. In the field of education many devices are used to teach place value and related concepts 5 however they are often difficult for children to manipulate and understand. It is therefore the object of this device, in particular in its preferred form, to provide an educational device that is easy to use and easy to understand. In this document the preferred device has a slide mechanism and slide-limiting clip apparatus that is to be understood to mean any slide or clip configuration that allows the device to 10 perform said function. According to a preferred aspect of the invention there is provided a device, forming a set consisting of a plurality of modules that connect, clip and slide together longitudinally and sequentially to form a linear array of planar blank writing surfaces, thereby obscuring the slide mechanism from sight. 15 According to one aspect of the device the blank writing surfaces are easily erased when written on with a non-permanent medium such as non-permanent marker, crayon or pencil, and the slide mechanism on each of the modules within the set forming the device is permanently imprinted with a word representing one of the base 10 place values, for example, (but not limited to) thousands, hundreds, tens and ones, so that when the modules are 20 connected in the base 10 number sequence the place value imprinted on the slides will be increasing sequentially from right to left and decreasing sequentially from left to right. Additionally, any module imprinted with the value "ones" will also have a decimal point and the word "decimal" imprinted on the slide facilitating the connection of decimal fraction modules for use with decimal fractions. 25 The modules, when connected together, are able to slide laterally towards each other thereby allowing the planar writing surfaces to become immediately contiguous and in contact with each other but still individually distinguishable by their respective edges thus allowing each digit of a number to be written on a separate writing surface consummate with its appropriate 10 base value. Whilst the modules are pushed together and contiguous, the imprinted slide 30 mechanism is obscured from view. Thus, once a number is written on the writing surfaces with one digit being assigned to each surface the modules can be partially but not completely pulled away from each other on the slide mechanism whilst still being retained by the clip mechanism to reveal the imprinted value on the slide mechanism. The value imprinted on a slide is assigned to the digit written immediately to its left. All of the modules in a set forming 35 the device may be pulled and slid away from each other to reveal all the place values labelled on the slides, pushed together to hide all place values labels and/or clustered into any arrangement of single, paired, or multiple modules to demonstrate transference between place values. For example, a number consisting of four digits may be written on a set of four sequenced 40 modules (thousands, hundreds, tens, ones) so that the first digit from the left would be on the 2 module imprinted "thousands", the second digit from the left would be written on the module imprinted "hundreds", the third digit from the left would be written on the module labelled "tens" and the final digit on the right would be written on the module imprinted "ones". With all four modules pushed together all of the imprinted slides would be obscured from sight, 45 except for the slide on the module imprinted "ones" as there is no module attached to its right, thereby describing the four digit number as comprising a total of so many "ones". When all the modules in the set are slid apart but not disconnected, each of the imprinted slides are revealed between the digits to express the four digit number as so many "thousands", so many "hundreds", so many "tens" and so many "ones". 50 In another arrangement of the modules, the "tens" and "ones" may be pushed together thus obscuring the imprinted "tens" label and expressing the "tens" and "ones" as a total quantity of "ones", whilst still expressing the "thousands" and "hundreds" in their respective separate place values. In yet another example of potential grouping, the "tens" and "hundreds" may be pushed 55 together thus obscuring the "hundreds" label and expressing the "hundreds" and "tens" together as a total quantity of "tens". The process of connecting the modules in base 10 decimal system sequence, assigning digits to the writing surfaces and sliding apart, or sliding together, either separately or in any combination of place value groupings, may be applied and carried out with any number of 60 modules and encompassing all possible place values in the decimal system. The scope of the place values imprinted on the modules comprising a set of the said device includes all of the place values, both whole and fractional, as pertaining to the base 10 number system. The device also includes modules in any quantity where the slide is not imprinted thereby allowing the user to write their own value on the slide.

Claims (5)

1. An educational device comprising a plurality of modules, forming a set, each with a blank, erasable writing surface with a sliding clip mechanism on the right hand side of the writing surface, where each sliding clip on each module in a set allows the modules 70 to be clipped together in sequence and whilst clipped are able to be slid towards each other and away from each other in a lateral motion and where the slide mechanism on each module in a set is imprinted with a word representing a place value of the decimal base ten system so that when the modules are clipped and slid together in the base ten value sequence, digits can be written on the blank writing surfaces while the 75 imprinted slides are hidden behind the writing surfaces, and when the modules are slid away from each other but not disconnected from each other, the slide mechanisms are exposed presenting their imprinted words as place value labels assigned to the digit on the writing surface immediately to the left of each slide. 80

2. An educational device according to claim one where the slide mechanism on each module in a set forming the device is imprinted with one word representing one place value from the base 10 decimal system.

3. An educational device according to claims one and two where the module imprinted 85 with the value representing "ones" in the base ten decimal system is also imprinted with a mark representing a decimal point for use with decimal fractions.

4. An educational device where according to any of the preceding claims the imprinted slide mechanism has a clip that allows the modules to be slid laterally together and 90 laterally apart but not become disconnected or moved beyond the longitudinal extremities of the mechanism until the clip is intentionally disengaged by the user of the device.

5. An educational device where according to any of the preceding claims, a set where 95 some or all of the modules forming the device may not have a place value label imprinted on the slide, allowing the user to write their own labels.