Las Matemáticas — Mathematics

[laepelba]

Another question for you all.

I team teach an Algebra class for English-as-a-Second-Language students. I am the "math specialist" and the other teacher is the "ESL specialist". Most of our students are native Spanish speakers. The other teacher knows some Spanish, although I don't remember where/how she learned it. She is not actively studying it.

Recently, I was talking about writing units on measurements that are proportional. For example, in English, if a speed is given in "meters per second", it is written as "m/s". Some of the kids were asking me about "per". I think that at some point in time, I heard something in a similar context that used "por", like if something happened once a day, it would be said "una vez por día". Is that correct or incorrect?

Anyway, I said something to some of the students about "per" in English being like "por" in Spanish. My team teacher jumped in and said, "well, it's like 'cada'. 'Each'." I suppose that makes logical sense to me, but for some reason it seems incorrect.....

So what is the correct way to give a proportional unit?

Thanks!!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Another question for you all.

I team teach an Algebra class for English-as-a-Second-Language students. I am the "math specialist" and the other teacher is the "ESL specialist". Most of our students are native Spanish speakers. The other teacher knows some Spanish, although I don't remember where/how she learned it. She is not actively studying it.

Recently, I was talking about writing units on measurements that are proportional. For example, in English, if a speed is given in "meters per second", it is written as "m/s". Some of the kids were asking me about "per". I think that at some point in time, I heard something in a similar context that used "por", like if something happened once a day, it would be said "una vez por día". Is that correct or incorrect?

Anyway, I said something to some of the students about "per" in English being like "por" in Spanish. My team teacher jumped in and said, "well, it's like 'cada'. 'Each'." I suppose that makes logical sense to me, but for some reason it seems incorrect.....

So what is the correct way to give a proportional unit?

Thanks!!

It depends...

"una (vez) cada día" = "one (time)/once each day"

"una (vez) por día" = "one (time)/once per day"

"una (vez) al día" "one (time) a day"

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by chileno

It depends...

"una (vez) cada día" = "one (time)/once each day"

"una (vez) por día" = "one (time)/once per day"

So what do you say in a mathematics class about units? It "depends" on what?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

So what do you say in a mathematics class about units? It "depends" on what?

What do you mean? I gave the possibilities to administer anything in any units you want, we are talking about intervals, don't we? Units can be related to this but you haven't talked yet about what units.

[laepelba]

Well, the units can be all kinds of different things ... m/s, miles/h, km/h, miles/sec, etc.

You said "it depends", but I'm wondering, what does it depend on? In Spanish math classes, do they teach two different scenarios? Sometimes you say "cada" and sometimes you say "por"?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Well, the units can be all kinds of different things ... m/s, miles/h, km/h, miles/sec, etc.

You said "it depends", but I'm wondering, what does it depend on? In Spanish math classes, do they teach two different scenarios? Sometimes you say "cada" and sometimes you say "por"?

Mph is for "each" or "per" and I am talking strictly in English

55mpg

$2.17 a gallon/per gallon

Doesn't it depends in English too?

[laepelba]

I wouldn't ever use "each" in units as a label in English. So I suppose I would never use "cada" in units as a label in Spanish, right?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I wouldn't ever use "each" in units as a label in English. So I suppose I would never use "cada" in units as a label in Spanish, right?

I am not sure.

For each gallon of water, pour 1 cup of bleach.

I guess you couldn't cope with that...?

Rest a little a come back with renewed. It is the mind playing tricks at you.

[laepelba]

Well, this is something that I've pondered for about a week before posting the question, so I'll continue to pursue it. If you want to stop answering, I'm sure someone else will pick it up...

The example you give (For each gallon of water, pour 1 cup of bleach.), that is typical of a science class. I'm specifically looking for math problems given strictly in the context of a math classroom. And you're describing a process, not giving a quantity with units.

In my class, I would ask something like follows:
- If light travels xxxxx miles in 8 minutes, what is the speed of light given in miles/second?

I would tell English speaking students that "per" means that the denominator is "one", and that they have to convert from 8 minutes to 60 seconds in a minute and make the denominator 1.

I can't think of an instance where I would use "each"........

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Well, this is something that I've pondered for about a week before posting the question, so I'll continue to pursue it. If you want to stop answering, I'm sure someone else will pick it up...

Sheesh!

I didn't realize you had been pondering this for some time...

No need to become belligerent.

Originally Posted by laepelba

In my class, I would ask something like follows:
- If light travels xxxxx miles in 8 minutes, what is the speed of light given in miles/second?

In this case to express miles/seconds it usual to use "miles per second", right? The same in Spanish

The rest somebody else will have to answer it, as I am not understanding your position. Maybe when I get back to this post I will have an insight or something...