It took me a while to realize that "completing the square" *literally* means to complete the square. Here's what I mean:

That's a lot of conceptual math! I was always good at plugging in numbers and finding the value of x, but never had a clue as to what I was actually doing. What is this type of calculation used for in the real world? I love to help kids know that.

I LOVE your videos! You inspire me to make abstract concepts in math more accessible every day. Thank you for all you do!!

You're welcome! :)

This is a fantastic lesson in Montessori classrooms, using materials that span the learning continuum from concrete to abstract.

What a wonderful technique, Sir.

🤯 Never thought of it that way before!

This is brilliant! I got quadratic equations coming up in my classroom later this year, and this seems like a great way to visualise what’s going on! Saving for later.

That seems so (gulp) algorithmic.

Honestly, I think we loose sight of "the obvious" because we were taught "the process." As teachers, we see something over and over again until we realize the "aha moments of discovery" that allow us to teach our students in a more meaningful manner rather than rote memory.

Are you talking about the right side of the left square? Or the right square? If the former, the long side length of an x tile is x, and the side length of a 1 tile is 1.