Math Teachers: Why do you want students to "show their work?"?

Question

It really irks me how an easy problem that would take me a maximum of 30 seconds, evens up taking up to 2 minutes to solve because we're forced to "show our work."

Why do you make your students show their work even though it lengthens how long they work?

Answer 1

they are jackasses

Answer 2

so everyone understands it and isnt just copying

even if its easy for some it might be hard for others

Answer 3

You have to show your work because in higher math, the thought process matters as much as the answer.  Yes, you probably could whip through the easier questions in 30 seconds, but you would be left wondering when you get to the harder questions.

Higher math is made up of patterns and processes; the same patterns and processes that you are made to show work for on easier problems are used to solve the really complex ones - there are just more of them involved.  However, because it's more about the process than the arithmetic, you will often get at least partial credit for showing the process you took.

Also, if you do get a wrong answer, your teacher can quickly go to the exact part of the process and make a note next to it so that you'll know to watch that in the future.  Instead of "c**p, I got it wrong", it's "oh, THAT's what went wrong.  Ok."

I promise, we're not trying to make you waste time, and we're not messing with your head...we're preparing you to succeed down the line, in many ways.

Answer 4

My brother is a math teacher and he requires it so he knows that his students are solving the problem accurately. Sure, there will be kids who get it right without even showing work, but there is always a chance that they fumbled up the actual process and still got the answer right.

Answer 5

they dont want kids to cheat. it is like how i ask for answers on here(yahoo/answer), but i forgot that i had to show the work. =p

Answer 6

Believe it or not, this helps in ways you cannot even begin to understand.  Being able to show your work in a concise, neat way will serve you for years to come, no matter what career path lies ahead.

It is always best to have an explanation for EVERYTHING you put in writing.

Answer 7

I'm with a lot of people on here, it's not so much so you can show you didn't copy or just use a calculator, cos after all if you get the right answer in the calculator you still have to put the right bits in the right order etc!

I think it's so that you can lay out what you were thinking, some problems have more than one way to get to the answer.

That way if you choose one way that almost gets you there but not quite you still get points for the method you tried, I know sometimes you end up with 3 half answers where you've tried three different ways and failed but you still get marks!

The level of work you show us up to you, if it really is obvious, just show a little working, if you're into a looong question, show lots of detail so that you have a better chance of still getting marks if you s***w up or run out of time.

It doesn't always have to be pretty either if you're rushing.

It is also true that you can see problems much easier when they're written down sometimes..(oh wait, that's a +'ve!!).

It also helps if you have a friendly math teacher, ours was an ex Oxford professor who insisted every answer was obvious, all we needed was more oxygen (cranking open every window even when it was freezing), and declaiming "it's all monkeys' work!" (gwaith mwnci ydi'r cwbl!)...

I liked him!

;)

~m~

Answer 8

If the answer is wrong, then the teacher can go back and see exactly where you misunderstood.  Was it a simple mistake that happened just on that one problem (like adding two numbers wrong) or was it something that needs to be taught again.  

Answer 9

so teachers no u didn't cheat or use a calculator

Answer 10

showing your work on how you solved a problem is very useful; why?because you proof to yourself and the teacher that you know your stuff.  

Part of the rules for that classroom and it is what the teacher expects from all students and as a student going to school to learn and become educated and being prepared for the "outside world" you need to learn to follow directions and do what is expected from you as a student.

You do want to pass that class don't you? So just do what is required.  

Answer 11

so maybe when you get it wrong they can see where you got it wrong =]  

Answer 12

I am a Math teacher. It's simple... teacher always gives the input, students should show their output.  Thats the reason you should show your work.

Answer 13

You show your work to demonstrate that you have actually learned the material, rather than perhaps guessing at an answer.

Most teachers will also give partial credit for the work, even when the answer isn't right. That's because anyone can make a mistake, even when they know what they're doing.

Some teachers may give the option of just giving an answer, without showing the work - and the catch is "if you get the answer wrong you won't even get partial credit if you don't show your work." I'm personally of the opinion that that's not a good option, because it encourages the lazy students to be even lazier, tempts cheaters, and leaves me in the dark about everyone's progress.

Answer 14

To keep kids from cheating off of someone else.

Answer 15

well the teacher want to see how did u do that? because maybe the teacher think u are cheat. or the teacher tried to help u to smart then u can pass the math in college. u know that college teacher want to see "show their work" and if u not do then u will fail. that's why the teacher tried to help u

Answer 16

Because it is the basics, the foundation for all higher math formulas and theories.  Just because you can do an easy problem in your head doesn't mean you can perform higher functions.  If you make a mistake in your head, you will not see it.  If it is written down, you or someone else can correct the error.  Would you want to pay someone half a million dollars to do a project for you only to hear "Wow, sorry dude, I must have made a mistake in my calculations but I don't know where I went wrong".  How would you feel if your parents home was being taken by the bank because someone miscalculated the software program that the bank uses.  If your working on a team project, how do you expect the rest of the team to combine their work with yours so everyone gets an A (or only the lazy guy who didn't do his stuff the right was fails and not everybody with him).   So for the little time it takes you, always show your work.  It's a good habit that will stick with you for the rest of your life.  Besides, it took you longer to whine, complain and type out this question than it did to show your work.  LOL

Answer 17

So that they know you didn't cheat...Copying a friend's paper, an older sister or brother did it for you etc...

Answer 18

Im not a math teacher but I've taken enough math courses to know.

A few reasons,

1. Some teachers may give you part marks.

2. To see (if you go wrong) where you go wrong.  Especially when more than one student does it then they can re teach it in a way to clarify

3. It easier to follow along like that

Answer 19

so the teachers know you did your own work and not cheated

Answer 20

to prove your not just copying someone else or using a calculator

Answer 21

to show that you're not actually copying the answer from the back of the book or copying other people's work.

andhigher chance that you actually will get how to do it.