Coding Helps your Child's Math and Computing Skills

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Although you don't have to be a math expert to learn to code, it may help you enhance your math and computational abilities. When you disguise a conventional topic, such as math, which some students find dull, as a really entertaining puzzle to construct games, applications, and more, kids are unwittingly expanding their mathematical knowledge without even realizing it. In fact, learning to code is more likely to improve pupils' overall academic achievement! How? Because coding requires universal talents.

Coding is Logic

One of the fundamental skills required in excelling in mathematics is logic. To prove theorems, mathematicians must use inference and reasoning to take steps in finding solutions. For mathematicians, these skills are second nature, but to kids, these cognitive feats may seem daunting and difficult to learn… Enter coding!
To build a new app, game, cartoon or whatever may interest the coder, they must embark on the process of building the program to complete certain tasks. For example, say a student is designing a video game. Throughout the process of online coding, they must think logically about what the avatar in the game will do depending on what the player decides. If the player presses the space bar, the avatar will jump. Every single action and reaction must be foreseen, analyzed and have a solution for in the code. This advanced form of applying logic is fundamental to coding, just as essential as applying logic in the field of mathematics.

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Keep trying until you succeed

Another valuable lesson learned from coding is that errors do not imply failure. When developing code, the programmer will attempt multiple alternative codes to see which one solves the problem. In fact, making mistakes is expected! The more a developer views making errors as a necessary part of the process rather than a failure, the more likely they are to continue until they discover the best answer. This type of thinking is applicable to all subjects of study, particularly arithmetic, because the learner must attempt many formulae or approaches until they find the perfect result.

Creativity when making mistakes is also par for the course in coding. Programmers must employ creative problem-solving in the development of their design, so they will try a wide variety of methods to crack those complications and solve their goals.

Make Math Exciting

What youngster would rather memorize complex formulae than build a fascinating new app for their tablet? Because math is at the heart of its coding, engaging kids as much as possible in the process ensures that those math abilities are unconsciously reinforced. Children learning to code focus on traversing algorithms and utilizing reasoning to make the avatar in a game leap, rather than implementing quadratic formulas. Learning hard arithmetic concepts is disguised as a quest to get the game to perform what they want, and a lot of vital knowledge is quickly being consumed into their minds. It's no secret that kids learn better when they're engaged, and coding delivers just that.

In addition to having fun learning how to code, the actual products that are designed by code are absolutely incredible. Virtual robots, stories brought to life through animation, apps that provide more ease and convenience to our everyday lives… all of these things are lines of code at their root. Opening up the world of possibilities with coding encourages a deep fascination and desire to learn its methods.

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Coding & The Big 8

The Common Core math standards have evolved to not only teach the math content, but the mathematical practices behind it as well. Many of these standards are reinforced in the process of coding.

The first criteria is to make sense of difficulties and persist in fixing them. Let's say I'm creating a basic game in which a dog collects falling bones from the sky. When I initially start developing the game, I instantly implement the first practice. How can I get the dog to move? How does a dog open its mouth? How can I make the bones fall? I need to figure out how to solve the challenges I'm having when building the game and experiment with different codes until the software accomplishes what I want it to.

Another requirement is to think abstractly and quantitatively. Math requires pupils to visualize abstract concepts and make sense of numbers. When developing my game, I must first picture what I want the game to accomplish and then find out how to instruct the computer to perform it. To develop inventive ways to carry out my strategy, I must utilize my logical reasoning and critical thinking abilities.

Precision is the last requirement to be met. Writing code, like solving a complex math problem, is a precise practice that must be carried out correctly. In designing my game, that doesn't mean that mistakes won't occur; they will, but if I figure out where the issue is and repair it, the game plays as I expect.

Finally, coding encourages problem-solving and perseverance. These acceptable talents are totally relevant to all aspects of not just academia, but also life itself. Coders have an advantage in regularly using these vital abilities to achieve their goals, thereby bridging the gap to mathematical achievement!

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