Balance the Equation Scales

About Balance the Equation Scales

Balance the Equation Scales exists because of one misconception that is almost universal and almost never addressed. A child who has only ever seen sums written left to right learns, quite reasonably, that the equals sign means write the answer next. Show that child 5 plus 3 equals 4 plus something and a very large proportion will answer eight, because they have read the first three symbols, produced the answer, and stopped. They are not being careless; they have learned a rule that happens to be wrong. This game puts equations on beams, with the missing number sometimes on the right and both sides holding expressions, so the equals sign has to mean what it actually means: these two sides weigh the same. Repairing that reading in grade 2 is one of the strongest predictors of whether algebra makes sense three years later, when the same symbol starts carrying letters. Each round offers several beams and a set of number cards, and every beam needs a different number, so there is exactly one correct arrangement and no card can be placed by luck. Numbers grow with the level and stay inside twenty. Cards can be dragged with a finger or mouse, or selected and placed by tap or keyboard alone, with each placement announced to screen readers. Free, no sign-up, no advertising to children, progress kept on the device.