Visual Estimation
Mathematics as a subject all across India is still taught in a broadcast manner wherein the teacher explains the concepts on a blackboard to a class of 50 something students. However, visual estimation is a mechanism of using your eyes and brain to come up with a value that is close enough to the right answer, without really measuring or otherwise counting an object. This process of visual estimation can be used to estimate a number of things including volumes, lengths, heights, areas, angles, and quantities.
Example of Visual Estimation
An example of estimating counts of counting candies in a jar will help you understand the process of estimation-visual. Let’s say you enter a candy guessing competition, you can either just select a random number out of the air or apply visual estimation to obtain the nearest answer. For example, Alex’s visual estimate that there are 250 candies in this jar below is a lot more accurate than Mark’s guess that there are 1500!
(Image will be uploaded soon)
Uses of Visual Estimation
Finding the value that is close enough to the correct answer by thought and observation allows for estimating different objects and quantities. Having said that, a visual estimation can be used for estimating lengths apart from estimating:
Lengths
Heights
Areas
angles
Volumes
Quantities
Benefits of Visual Learning
Introducing visual learning to the educational system can:
Help students better engage with math tasks and problems.
Increase retention power and understandability by a certain amount.
Build higher-order thinking skills.
Sharpen basic abilities enabling students to notice and conceptualize visuals clearly.
Serve the special needs of learners processing information mainly through visuals, as well as increase learning capacity.
Provide new opportunities to students experiencing learning differences.
Challenge students who are more exceptional in problem-solving.
How to Teach a Visual Learner Math?
When it comes to more formal math instruction, there are particular methods that will help make it more accessible and understandable to visual learners. Some Techniques for Teaching Visual Learners Math is Color therapy.
Are Visual Learners More Intelligent?
Ability to distinguish and discern the visual, these learners tend to think in pictures and require developing vivid mental images in order to retain information. Such learners have highly developed auditory skills and are usually sophisticated speakers. They think in words instead of pictures.
Estimation of Numbers
Estimation of Numbers and symbols is a crucial aspect of mathematics, and we engage in it regularly, every day. Be it estimating a grocery item, electricity bill, a person's height or weight, or while solving a Maths problem. But of course, estimation is not always good enough, often we need to know the exact number.
We involuntarily participate in approximation all our lives. Be it a kid estimating how much jelly beans he/she can have from his parents, an employee estimating the performance bonus, or a stock market analyst conjecturing the trends in the markets. Just the scale differs. If one had to describe estimation, it would appear something like this, estimation is to create an approximate opinion or judgment with respect to the worth, weight, size, amount, etc. or in other words calculate approximately.
Conclusion
Visual estimation can help analyze and improve a child’s understanding of mathematics while studying the impact of visualization. Different sections of a child’s brain brighten up when they undertake mathematical problem-solving.
Fun Facts
When a child performs simple mathematical operations (such as multiplication of two numbers), the visual processing parts of the mind (dorsal and ventral pathways) get activated.
It’s surprising, but your child consciously attempts to visualize mathematical tasks in their head, even for the most basic mathematical work!
When trying to explain the significance of visual tools in imparting knowledge of mathematical concepts in schools, math experts would have to contend with this reaction regularly.
Various international organizations for mathematics such as the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and National Council for the Teaching of Mathematics (NCTM) have consistently promoted the use of multiple visual representations for a student’s learning of mathematics.
Traditional blackboard learning of mathematics hinders your child from thinking visually resulting in a pattern of rote learning.
FAQs on Estimation Visual
Q1. What Makes Visual Math so Significant for Students to Understand?
Answer: Math is not abstract but a highly logical and objective-driven subject in which most of the concepts are linked to one another. That being said, let’s get to know the importance of visual estimation:
Technology combined with other math-based manipulatives makes it easier for a child to understand concepts in a personalized manner based on their capabilities.
When your child learns estimating objects or estimating counts through manipulatives and visual tools, the process of mathematical learning completely changes for them.
Visual estimation learning systems expose your child to a greater opportunity of developing an irrational, logical mind while getting off math fear.
The use of the hands to hold and move several mathematical manipulatives increases your child’s visual-spatial understanding of the concepts.
That said, the use of mathematical manipulatives or activities to promote visual information processing is something that is yet to be wholesomely embraced by teachers across the country.
Q2. How can I Learn Visual Estimation?
Answer: Recognizing the challenges imposed by conventional mathematical learning systems, Vedantu undertook extensive research in embracing the significance of visualization, building the concept of estimating objects in a fun way. The activity is designed to help the child visualize mathematical concepts through their senses primarily touch, feel and sight.
