Activities to Teach Students About Understanding Percents: Strip Models
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Understanding percents is critical in mathematics and many other areas of life. Percents are used in calculations such as discounts, interest rates, and taxes, which means that people need to understand them to make informed decisions. To help students understand percents, educators have developed several activities to teach students about the concept of strip models.
Strip models are diagrams that show the relationship between a percent, its equivalent fraction, and its decimal form. The models use strips of paper or other materials to represent fractions, decimals, and percentages in a visual and hands-on way.
Activity 1: Using Strip Models to Convert Decimals to Percents
To introduce students to the concept of strip models, start with an activity that helps them to understand how to convert decimal numbers into percentages. You’ll need decimal strips, percent strips, and a chart of decimal, fraction, and percentage equivalents.
Ask students to take a decimal strip and place it on the chart. Ask them to identify the fraction that represents the decimal. Then, ask them to find the percentage that represents that fraction. They can do this by placing the percent strip next to the fraction on the chart.
For example, if the decimal strip shows 0.75, it can be placed on the chart next to the fraction 3/4. The percent strip can then be placed next to the fraction, showing that 3/4 is equivalent to 75%.
Activity 2: Using Strip Models to Convert Percents to Decimals
After students have learned how to convert decimals to percentages, they can learn how to convert percents to decimals using strip models. This activity uses the same materials as activity 1 but in reverse.
To start, ask students to take a percent strip and place it on the chart, displaying the equivalent fraction and decimal. Then, ask them to use a decimal strip to show how the percent represented can be converted to a decimal.
For example, if the percent strip shows 50%, students can identify the equivalent fraction as 1/2 and the decimal form as 0.50. This makes the activity a great opportunity for students to practice their decimal and percentage calculations.
Activity 3: Using Strip Models to Solve Real-World Problems
Once students have mastered the basics of strip models, they can practice solving real-world problems using this method of representation. This activity challenges students to apply their knowledge of percent ratios to calculate discount rates, markups, and tax rates.
To start, give students some examples of real-world problems that involve percentages. Provide them with strips of paper to represent the total cost, discount, markup, or tax in a visual format. They can then use strip models to solve the problems by calculating the final price based on the factors given.
For example, students can be given the task of calculating the final cost of a product that originally costs $50 but is 20% off. They could use strip models to represent the original price, discount, and final price.
Conclusion
Teaching students about understanding percents may seem daunting, but the use of strip models can help simplify the process. These activities allow students to visualize and manipulate percents, making it easier to grasp the basic concepts. As they progress through the activities, students can apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems, developing creative problem-solving skills.