Quandaries and Queries
  

 

Name: Lauren
Who is asking: Teacher
Level of the question: Elementary

Question: A child in my class if having trouble with the concept of zero being an even number, I have talked with her about its zero because it is a multiple of 2, any other suggestions?

 

 

Hi Lauren,

Even numbers can be paired using counters, whereas odd numbers can't.

  • With eight counters, start pairing them off, and when done there are none left over, so it is even.

  • With seven counters, start pairing them off, and when done there is one left over, so it is odd.

  • With six counters, start pairing them off, and when done there are none left over, so it is even.

  • With five counters, start pairing them off, and when done there is one left over, so it is odd.

Continue with 4, 3, and 2. The "definition" used is the idea of pairing off counters. After pairing as many as possible, zero left over is even and one left over is odd.
For 1, after pairing as many as possible (there is no pairing needed), there is one left over, so odd.
For 0, after pairing as many as possible (there is no pairing needed), there is none left over, so even.

Paul