How do you know if your child has mastered her math facts?
I know that there is a lot of talk about the importance of memorizing our math facts. Is it really as important as everyone says that it is? Does my child need to know what 6 x 8 is without a calculator? Yes.
Memorizing our math facts is more important than you realize.
Math fact memorization is not just math fact memorization. It is relationship building and the foundation for critical thinking.
When your child enters pre algebra and has to solve for x, but is faced with 4x = 24. She should be able to tell me:
1. that 4 x 6 = 24 therefore, x must be 6.
2. that if I divide 4x by 4, then I get the number 1.
These two points are intuitive for children who understand the numbers. A calculator might tell your child that 4 x 6 = 24, but it won't help your child fully understand the relationship between 4 and 6 and how to identify when we might see it in our problems.
So how do I tell if my child has memorized her facts? There are a few great resources, xtramath.org for example, that help show how solid our children have memorized these facts.