Calculating Weight when I have one tomato and three potato and five Carrots

Ryan$

Full Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2019
Messages
353
Hi guys, I already discussed about units but there's something still weird for me which is:
lets assume I have 3 chairs and 3 tables, so I have 3[chairs] , 3[tables] , so lets assume I have an equation that says to assign the number of chairs and number of tables you have to add them, so in my case I must do 3+3=6 but how can I add two amounts of different units as same units?!!! doesn't it weird?!
 
What do you mean by "assign" the number of chairs and number of tables? What does "assign" mean here? To answer your question, you could say "6 pieces of furniture" or "6 items" or simply "6 things".
 
I mean while I add numbers, it's not actually must be all the numbers of the same units, I can ask for example: how many chairs and tables we have? then the answer is 3[charis]+3[tables] = 6 so however they're not the same units we added them as same units .. like something magic..
 
It IS necessary to add things of the same type; you can't just say the answer is 6. If you add abstract numbers like 3+3, you get 6; but if they are "denominate numbers" with units, you can't add them until they have the same unit. Doing so is not magic; it's an error.

To answer a similar, common question, if you want to add 3 apples + 3 oranges, you have to call it 6 pieces of fruit (or else 6 cups of fruit salad).

This is very similar to the need to use a common denominator to add fractions: you can't add 1 half + 1 third; you have to convert them to something like 3 sixths + 2 sixths = 5 sixths.
 
I already discussed about units but there's something still weird for me which is:
lets assume I have 3 chairs and 3 tables, so I have 3[chairs] , 3[tables] , so lets assume I have an equation that says to assign the number of chairs and number of tables you have to add them, so in my case I must do 3+3=6 but how can I add two amounts of different units as same units?!!! doesn't it weird?!
Suppose there is a testing room with six tables and two chairs at each table. There is nothing more in the room.
How would you answer each of these?
How many pieces of furniture are there in the room?
How many tables and chairs are there on that room?
How many tables or chairs are there on that room?
Are these all the same question?
 
It IS necessary to add things of the same type; you can't just say the answer is 6. If you add abstract numbers like 3+3, you get 6; but if they are "denominate numbers" with units, you can't add them until they have the same unit. Doing so is not magic; it's an error.

To answer a similar, common question, if you want to add 3 apples + 3 oranges, you have to call it 6 pieces of fruit (or else 6 cups of fruit salad).

This is very similar to the need to use a common denominator to add fractions: you can't add 1 half + 1 third; you have to convert them to something like 3 sixths + 2 sixths = 5 sixths.
but your last analogous about common dominator, I can add 1.5+1.3 = 1.8 .. but I understand the point behind .. from your first analogous
 
but your last analogous about common dominator, I can add 1.5+1.3 = 1.8 .. but I understand the point behind .. from your first analogous
Well, no -- it's 2.8! And in adding those decimals, you are effectively using the common denominator 10 (15/10 + 13/10 = 28/10).
 
Suppose there is a testing room with six tables and two chairs at each table. There is nothing more in the room.
How would you answer each of these?
How many pieces of furniture are there in the room?
How many tables and chairs are there on that room?
How many tables or chairs are there on that room?
Are these all the same question?
I was thinking that if it's given 3 [chairs] then the unit must be assigned with the number itself, but it's totally different, it's related to the question itself, so might the unit be added or might the number itself of the "unit" be added! so it's totally different between "unit" and between "number"
 
Have you been to the supermarket where the express lane says 10 items or less? You do NOT have to buy the same 10 or less items to use this express lane. In fact you can buy all different items.

Many years ago my friend said he could just look at the grocery cart and say how much the total would be. I said I could do better than him. As the cashier rung up the prices I just added the dollar amount and the number of items. My method was to take the total of the dollar amount and add on half of the number of items (another words I assumed that each item had the cents equal to $.50) and I came closer than my friend to the actual total. More importantly I added the number of items purchased even though they were different items
 
Hi guys, I would like to clear out my problem and I hope I get help because it's really annoying !

lets assume I was on X axis which it's time unit, then I was on time 3seconds and afterwards I added two seconds, then why we have 5seconds? once again what's confusing me not the answer itself, but how can I imagine adding two things altogether? I need something like analogy to put in my head /to take in my head which can simplify my thinking once we say "adding" , so once I face a problem which need to add "things" then I know how to deal with it !

My problem actually how I imagine Adding things in my head? I really find it hard ..and please help me to start think rightly and if there any senseable analogy would be much appreciated !

thanks alot you guys helped me much!!
 
Typically, very young children are taught an intuitive understanding of what addition is by counting on their fingers. Count three of your fingers, then count two more. What number did you stop at? How many fingers does that mean you counted in total? (Note to other helpers: There's a specific reason I ask this question even though it seems redundant and useless; I would really like to see Ryan answer both of these questions). Then if you're still unsure, try it again using the fingers on your other hand. Try it using apples or potatoes or some other object you have in your house - count three of them and count two more. Compare your results and see what you find, then think about what it all means.
 
Combing your question in this thread with
I mean from my post, why I need to be consistent in my logic!!
from another thread I can only advise this: Drop whatever else you are doing, get out a number line, and get someone to teach you how to use it. You can't be doing multiplication, much less aglebra, if you are honestly confused on these points.

-Dan
 
Top