Math Facts

It's only Sunday night, not officially the start of the new school week (the week that just happens to be after Thanksgiving break, which is so, so hard to start...)

But.

DJ needs to clean up some math problems before he can test tomorrow, so I've dragged him to the kitchen table to re-do the 9 or so that were wrong. T-O-R-T-U-R-E.

It's those crazy word problems. Remember starting those in 3rd grade? And you couldn't ever decide: is this an adding problem or a subtraction problem?

Those drove me nuts, personally.

Here's his:

David wants to buy a game that costs $4.79. He's only saved $2.98.

How much more does David need to save?

DJ's answer, given repeatedly while near tears because of the frustration level?

"$2.00!"

"Buddy, if he saved up $2.00 more, he'd have too much! $2.98 plus $2.00 is $4.98, which is more than he needs!"

"I KNOW! But he needs $2.00!!! That's a fine answer! He'll give the woman $2.00 and get $.19 cents back! So he needs $2.00!"

At one point in this round, I'm trying to hide my smile behind my arm. I'm frustrated, as well, in trying to help him (we talked this thing to death), but I'm also lovin' his reasoning skills.

"WHAT? I don't get it!"

And so, we start over.

T-O-R-T-U-R-E.

Poor guy. And tomorrow is just around the corner.