Maria won a cash prize. She spent 3/8 of it on a washing machine, 2/5 of it on a refrigerator, and $180 on a fan. If she had $270 left, how much was the prize?

The Curriculum Committee has been engaged in an in-depth process to identify values and strategies to ultimately inform its recommendation about MMCS’s math program. The committee has identified Singapore Math as a “natural fit” for our school’s curriculum with its immersion to mastery approach, focus on mental math, developmental appropriateness, focus on creative, divergent thinking and academic rigor. Singapore Math has a distinguished record in international math competitions and is starting to gain more widespread attention in the U.S. It was recently adopted by several states and many districts across the country.

While the current MMCS math curriculum has drawn from best educational practices, the Everyday Math program, and is integrated into our block curriculum, the Curriculum Committee and full faculty is identifying many advantages to adopting the Singapore Math curriculum. Most of us, while confident in math, were surprised by how many “Ah-ha” moments we had during the day, for example, both in our own math understanding and in this approach to math instruction. Stay tuned; the school will soon be making its decision about the direction it will take regarding mathematics instruction.

(Answer to above question is $2000. So easy, a kid can do it!)