The Mackinder box it is a methodological element with various applications in mathematics. Helps teach basic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It is also used to separate subsets of sets and to subtract cardinals; serves to decompose and recompose additive number structures.
Basically it is about placing a central large container and 10 smaller containers around it. Within the smaller containers unit quantities are represented, which will later be deposited in a larger container, to represent that a quantity is added, referring to the progressive addition or multiplication.
On the contrary, it can also represent that an amount is withdrawn from the larger box, referring to the division.
Article index
The Mackinder box is a method that was developed in 1918 in Chelsea, England, by Jessie Mackinder, who was an educator in that city..
This method aims to promote the individualization of education in subjects such as mathematics, reading and writing, using simple but interesting materials such as containers, cards and bags, which are used freely..
This instrument consists of ten containers surrounding a larger central container, all placed on a flat base. These elements are used to do basic mathematical operations, such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Can also be used to separate sets and subsets.
The Mackinder box is used in the early years of education. It facilitates the understanding of mathematics because its methodology is based on the use of didactic materials, giving the freedom for each participant to manipulate or interact directly with the material.
The Mackinder box is made up of very basic elements. To form it, you can even use recycling material or any type of container that serves to place small objects that represent the units that will be counted. Among the most common ways to do it are the following:
The following materials will be needed:
- A rectangular base, which can be made of cardboard (shoe box) or cardboard.
- 10 small cardboard boxes. They can be matchboxes.
- 1 larger box.
- Glue.
- Tokens, matchsticks, seeds, or paper balls that can be used for counting.
The materials to be used are the following:
- A rectangular base, made of cardboard (shoe box) or cardstock.
- 10 plastic containers, keep them small.
- A large plastic container; for example a CD case.
- Glue.
- Tokens, matchsticks, seeds, or paper balls, which can be used for counting.
- Cut the base into a rectangular shape.
- The largest container (the cardboard box or plastic container) is glued in the center.
- Smaller containers are glued around the large container and allowed to dry.
- Containers can be painted in various colors and allowed to dry.
- The tokens, matchsticks, seeds, paper balls or any item that is used for counting, can remain stored in another container or inside the central container.
With the Mackinder box, basic mathematical operations can be carried out, taking into account that the containers represent groups or sets, while the elements of each of these will be tokens, seeds, paper balls, among others..
Two small boxes are used to make a sum. In one of these the tiles representing the first addend are placed, and in the other box the tiles of the second addend are placed..
The counters of the box that have the least amount of these are started to be counted and they are placed in the central box; at the end of the chips from the first box, continue with the second.
For example, if in one box you have 5 tiles and in the other 7, you start counting from the one with 5 tiles, placing them in the central box until you reach 5. Then you continue with the tiles from the other box and so on. up to 12.
To subtract all the tiles representing the minuend are placed in the central box; that is, from the total amount to which another amount will be subtracted (subtracting).
From that large box, the amount of chips that you want to subtract is taken out, they are counted and placed in one of the small boxes. To know the result of the subtraction, the number of tiles that were left inside the big box is counted.
For example, you have 10 chips in the central box and you want to subtract 6 chips. These are removed and placed in one of the small boxes; then, when counting the tiles that were left in the big box, there are 4 tiles in total that represent the result of the subtraction.
Multiplication consists of adding the same number several times. With the Mackinder box, the first number of the multiplication represents the groups that will be formed; that is, the number of small boxes to be occupied.
Instead, the second number indicates the number of items each group will have, or the tiles that are to be placed in each small box. Then all the tiles from each small box are counted and placed in the central box, to obtain the result of the multiplication.
For example, to multiply 4 x 3, place 3 tiles in 4 small boxes; then they begin to count the chips in the first box, placing them in the big box; this is repeated with the 3 boxes. In the central box you will have: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12 chips.
Division is about dividing a number of elements equally. For example, to divide 16 chips into 4 small boxes, these are placed in the central box, and they are distributed into small boxes in such a way that the same amount of chips remains in each box.
At the end, the number of chips in each box is counted to determine the result; in this case, each one will have 4 chips.
Yet No Comments