This department showcases students' in-depth thinking and work on problems previously published in Teaching Children Mathematics. The November 2011 problem scenario has students explore several rich, mathematical ideas, such as square numbers and the commutative property of multiplication.
Edited by Drew Polly, drew.polly@uncc.edu, an assistant professor in the Department of Reading and Elementary Education at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. Each month this section of Problem Solvers discusses the classroom results of using problems presented in previous issues of Teaching Children Mathematics. Find detailed submission guidelines for all departments at www.nctm.org/tcmdepartments.