 Math Puzzle Videos
Videos and movies to assist in math problem solving and math puzzles.
Schoolhouse Rock! - Money Rock
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Schoolhouse Rock! - Money Rock
The world of finance bewilders many adults, so it's not surprising that kids often find it incomprehensible. Money Rock tackles subjects like budgeting, taxes, interest, and the stock market with simple definitions, fun animation, and lots of catchy music. The country-inspired "Dollars and Sense" explores the concept of interest with respect to saving and borrowing, "$7.50 Once a Week" teaches money management, and the bluesy "Where the Money Goes" covers living expenses and how to control them. A vaudeville act featuring "Tax Man Max" looks at government spending, then "Walkin' on Wall Street" takes a jazzy glimpse of the stock market. The historical development of bartering and its modern applications supply the thematic material of "This for That," a hungry dinosaur in "Tyrannosaurus Debt" personifies our national debt, and the complicated process initiated by the simple writing of a check is broken down in "The Check's in the Mail." If all this sounds potentially dry, even mind-numbing, recall how the potentially dull subject of grammar sprang to life with similar treatment in Grammar Rock. Rest assured that this 1998 addition to the multi-Emmy Award winning Schoolhouse Rock! series is both informative and exciting. --Tami Horiuchi
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The Standard Deviants: Geometry, part I
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The Standard Deviants: Geometry, part I
Let's face it, geometry might have been a blast for Euclid, but most people don't find it a barrel of laughs. But those stalwart and offbeat tutors, the Standard Deviants, do their best to make a review lesson in geometry both fun and memorable. Working with their standard premise that a bad joke is memorable and an atrocious joke doubly so, these energetic young performers provide an introduction to Euclidean geometry, offer basic examples of inductive and deductive reasoning, and go bravely into the realms of theorems, statements, angles, lines, and geometric proofs. If the approach is purposely unorthodox, the lesson material, which has been prepared with academic advisers boasting solid credentials, is utterly reliable. This video is not a substitute for a course in geometry, but is intended as review material, and the flashy graphics, coupled with skits, cartoons, and jokes, all tend to make what is, of course, rather dry material more palatable. Those who remember their high school geometry teachers droning away in a monotone may be shocked by the peppy delivery of the Standard Deviants, but there's good reason to believe that a student who might be struggling in geometry hell will find this an approachable method of tutoring. --Robert J. McNamara
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The Standard Deviants: Pre-Algebra, Part 1
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The Standard Deviants: Pre-Algebra, Part 1
Whether the thought of pre-algebra stirs terror in your heart or you love math and want to jump ahead of the class, this educational video will get you up to speed in an organized--and sometimes entertaining--manner. Aimed at high-school and college students, this 90-minute video lesson begins with integer exponents, works its way through prime factorization and roots, and ends with inequalities. A series of actors explain the concepts with the occasional interruptions of skits featuring doofus guys or fake news broadcasts ("Let's go live to the Mathcam"). Just in case this sounds too frivolous, the Standard Deviants series comes Ph.D.-approved and has won Telly Awards in the educational videos category. Reference cards with the course outline and relevant formulas and definitions help students navigate the mathematical waters. --Kimberly Heinrichs
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The Standard Deviants: Basic Math
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The Standard Deviants: Basic Math
In "The Zany World of Basic Math," the Standard Deviants, an ebullient troupe of young performers whose specialty is taking serious subjects and making them offbeat enough to be memorable, tackle the most basic concepts of mathematics. Starting off with explanations of integers, the program proceeds to cover addition, subtraction, and multiplication before moving into more advanced concepts such as exponents and division. Throughout the program the cast cracks painfully corny jokes and occasionally dresses up in some bad costumes to make their points. Indeed, this must be the only math lesson to have a "comedy editor" listed in the opening credits. The underlying principle is that if the performers make spectacles of themselves, that serves as a mnemonic device and makes the serious material they're imparting easier to remember. After covering the basics, the program moves into decimals, fractions, ratios, and percents. Following each section a quiz appears, which the student can either take or skip, and a "Grand Slam Exam" concludes the entire set of lessons. While the presentation may be unorthodox, the academic material has been approved by a panel of professors. Though it's not intended as a substitute for classes in math, students would benefit by using this as review material. --Robert J. McNamara
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The Standard Deviants: Algebra, Part 1
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The Standard Deviants: Algebra, Part 1
Making algebra entertaining seems like a hopeless, if not downright insane, task, but that doesn't stop the Standard Deviants. A youthful cast of performers, who believe no joke, skit, or costume is too corny as long as it helps a student remember something important, throw themselves into "The Adventurous World of College Algebra" by beginning with a spoof of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Inside a cave, two Indiana Jones wannabes search for, you guessed it, x. Despite the lighthearted approach, this is a serious algebra review course, compiled under the direction of academic advisers. The lessons begin by answering, "What is algebra?" and quickly move into quadratic roots and factors and a section on linear equations. A wacky sense of humor stays a constant, with spoofs of pop culture programs as well as flashy computer graphics appearing to illustrate essential concepts. At the end of each lesson a quiz appears (which the student can take or skip), and the DVD also contains the "Algebra Adventure," a multiple choice test taken by using the DVD player's remote control. A "Quick Review" segment provides a fast overview of the contents. This is an innovative approach to what has often been a daunting and dry subject. --Robert J. McNamara
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The Standard Deviants - Algebra, Parts 1 & 2
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The Standard Deviants - Algebra, Parts 1 & 2
Making algebra entertaining seems like a hopeless, if not downright insane, task, but that doesn't stop the Standard Deviants. A youthful cast of performers, who believe no joke, skit, or costume is too corny as long as it helps a student remember something important, throw themselves into "The Adventurous World of College Algebra" by beginning with a spoof of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Inside a cave, two Indiana Jones wannabes search for, you guessed it, x. Despite the lighthearted approach, this is a serious algebra review course, compiled under the direction of academic advisers. The lessons begin by answering, "What is algebra?" and quickly move into quadratic roots and factors and a section on linear equations. A wacky sense of humor stays a constant, with spoofs of pop culture programs as well as flashy computer graphics appearing to illustrate essential concepts. At the end of each lesson a quiz appears (which the student can take or skip), and the DVD also contains the "Algebra Adventure," a multiple choice test taken by using the DVD player's remote control. A "Quick Review" segment provides a fast overview of the contents. This is an innovative approach to what has often been a daunting and dry subject. --Robert J. McNamara
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