Abstract
An elementary school mathematics program can be structured to allow students to practice computational skills and also become familiar with concepts that need to be mastered in algebra. A basic notion needed for successful work in algebra is the idea that any number has an infinite variety of expressions. This same idea occurs in elementary school mathematics. For example, 10 = 9 + I = 8 + 2 = 7 + 3 = 6 + 4 = 5 + 5 = 100/10 = 2 × 5 = 90/9 = … = 20/2. The isolated knowledge that 3 + 7 = 10 is far less important than the chain of relationships in the previous sentence. An elementary school teacher can give students practice in computation (finding the sum to 10) while beginning to develop this idea of multiple names for any number. The activities described in this article begin with students' life experiences, continue through concrete and pictorial experiences, and conclude with abstract activities and problem solving.
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