Math is a language used to answer everyday questions or solve everyday problems.
When my 7-year-old son asked me how old he will be when his 2-year-old cousin is his age now I told him "It's a math problem..." I helped him figure it out by asking him "How many years older are you from your little cousin, who is 2 years old now?" He figured it out to be 5 years difference in their ages.
So I asked him "When your cousin is 7 years old you will be 5 years older, so what will be your age?" He counted it out and replied "12 years old" proudly.
That's how we teach our kids to use math in everyday life to answer questions and solve problems.
Dr. Howard Kea currently works as a Sr. Organization Development Specialist and Executive Coach in the Office of Human Capitol Management, Leadership and Culture Change Office at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Previously, he worked as a Sr. Computer Systems Engineer in the Information Systems Division, Systems Integration and Engineering Branch. He has a Masters Degree in Engineering Administration from George Washington University and a Ph.D. in Leadership and Organizational Change from Antioch University.