Algebra: Balance

Do you know how object in the picture below works?

 

This is a scale. This object functions to measure the weight of any object. Back then, we found this a lot in shops to measure the weight of items that they sell. It employs the concept of balancing to know the weight.

In algebra, we have a term called balancing. Balancing refers to the process in which we attempt to balance two values. In mathematics, we use a lot of equation which obviously employ this concept. For example, 3x + 5 = 9 + 2x. The symbol '=' indicates that the first part (3x + 5) and the second part (9 = 2x) share the same value. 

The understanding of this concept can assist young learners in accomplishing addition and subtraction problems, or any mathematical problems. 

In the workshop, we 'played' with this object to visualize how we can solve addition and subtraction using balancing concept. Balancing concept claims that the two parts of the object should be in the same value or weight so that it will be balanced. Therefore, if we have 10 for one part, the other part should have ten. 

For example, the question is:


4 + __ = 10


By understanding the concept of balancing, students can work on finding the question. On one part, they put the weight to be 10 'value' and the other part 4 'value'. So they have to count how many more 'value' to balance the scale.


Using this concept also help students knowing lots of ways to reach


   1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9      I       9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
             part A              middle             part B




For example, if the students discover that in part A they have two fives (5 + 5), they should be able to reach to another equation of the same value. By retaining the value in part A and moving the value in part B, they should know that 4 + 6, 3 + 7, 2 + 8 and 1 + 9 are equal to 5 + 5.