Alien Math
Description
You have made contact with aliens from another galaxy! To establish good inter-species relations, you offer to help the alien students with their math homework. However, it becomes clear that they are not using the base 10 number system that you are familiar with. Can you figure out how their number system works well enough to help the alien students with their homework?
Levels
- Grades 4 through 6.
Preparation Time
5 minutes
Activity Time
60 minutes to introduce the Alien Math Homework activity. The full unit can last 5 to 10 class sessions.
Topics
- Base ten number system
- Number systems with other bases
Materials
- handouts
- pencils
Prerequisites
- Base 10 number system
- Standard addition and subtraction algorithms
Advanced Prerequisites
- Standard multiplication and division algorithms
- Algorithms with fractions and decimals
Related Concepts
- Divisibility tests
Credits
NASA's Voyager webpage at http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/spacecraft/goldenrec.html
Author
Amanda Katharine Serenevy
National Common Core Standards
| 4.NBT.2 | Read, write, and compare multi-digit whole numbers using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form. |
| 4.NBT.4 | Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm. |
| 5.NBT.5 | Fluently multiply multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm. |
| 6.NS.2 | Fluently divide multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm. |
