Visualizing Math: How Number Lines Can Empower Problem-Solving.

Research has shown the importance of helping students, especially those with mild-to-moderate learning disabilities, to offload information during problem-solving. When students can get their thoughts onto paper, number line strategies can help them develop a firm foundation in mathematical problem-solving while understanding the relationships between mathematical operations. These strategies are helpful for the development of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and later, fractional mathematics. In this article, we describe the progression of number lines as a supportive strategy for elementary students and those with developmental delays in mathematics to improve mathematical understanding. This strategy is based on students being able to show their work and think about what they have written on paper or how they have used manipulatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]