Standards for Mathematical Practice 7 & 8:What’s the Difference?

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this research is to determine the differences between the Standards for Mathematical Practices (SMPs) 7 & 8 (i.e., look for and make use of structure & look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning, respectively). In order to determine the differences between the two, I interviewed and observed three high school mathematics teachers regarding their interpretation of the SMPs. Then, I synthesized what I learned into a lesson plan that focused on engaging the students in SMP 7 and SMP 8. The findings of my research indicate that SMP 7 is a tool the students will use to explore various concepts and make connections between them, while SMP 8 can be described as a tool the students will use to solve problems across a unit. Hence, a lesson focused on SMP 7 would have the students utilizing previous knowledge to simplify and interpret expressions within a context, while a lesson focused on SMP 8 would have the students deepening their understanding of the mathematical content by looking for general solutions or shortcuts in a different context.