Math teaching aid

A math teaching aid device comprising a base structure having upright guides and supports extending vertically therefrom for holding instructional cards for indicating the type of math problem to be taught and solved, together with a gravity operated pointer structure and appropriate guides therefor. Stackable blocks are aligned and contained within portions of the guide structure for association with the charts and the pivotably mounted pointer. As the device is arranged a student being taught simple arithmetic may by counting the number of blocks stacked on the device and in association with the appropriate indicator cards may verify the correct answers to the math problems being solved. This will effectively help the student in learning the correct math.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates generally to devices for teaching and aiding 
self-learning of sinple arithmetic and math problems. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
A common problem with known devices for teaching and aiding in 
self-instruction of math and simple arithmetic is that the devices are 
unduly complicated and require far too much instruction in the proper use 
thereof as a teaching tool. 
Another problem is that with the complicated devices known the expense of 
constructing and building same is far higher than the normal individual is 
willing to pay to achieve the benefits thereof. 
Another known problem is that the devices require far too much explanation 
and initial instruction before an individual can use same for 
self-instruction. 
Known prior art patents which may be pertinent to this invention are as 
follows: 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,548,601, A. E. Hoeft, Aug. 4, 1925; 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,950,072, C. P. Townsend, Mar. 6, 1934; 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,892, Mary C. Graf, Jan. 9, 1973; 
None of these known prior art devices offers the new and unique features of 
the invention disclosed herein. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a math teaching aid device 
which is simple in operation and easy to use without a large amount of 
training required. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which may be 
used in teaching the basic arithmatic problems of addition, substraction, 
multiplication, and division. 
A further object of this invention is to provide a device which will be 
basically self-teaching and may be relied upon by the student to assist 
him in solving the basic math problems which he will encounter in ordinary 
daily life. 
A still further object of this invention is to provide a simple device 
which is relatively maintenance free, easy to operate by a person with 
little training and little understanding of simple arithmetic, all for the 
purpose of aiding in teaching such an individual proper arithmetic. 
The math teaching aid device of this invention will allow an individual, 
after very simple explanatory instruction, to teach himself the simple 
basic arithmetic problems and solutions for addition, substraction, 
multiplication and division. These are math skills which even the most 
simple and ordinary of people need for everyday basic living. It is well 
know that hundreds of thousands of people in the United States today still 
lack the basic, fundamental math skills which most lower level elementary 
students acquire. The device of this invention will assist and aid greatly 
in the teaching of such people the basic math skills either with a teacher 
or instructor, or as a self-instructional tool. 
These together with other objects and advantages which will become 
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation 
as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals 
refer to like parts throughout.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates in 
general the math teaching aid of this invention. As shown, a base member 
12 is provided which is basically an elongated rectangular support having 
upright vertically extending members mounted thereon. These members 
consist of a back support 14 mounted longitudinally of the base member 
with guide structures 16 and 20 supported therefrom. The guide structures 
16 consist of vertically mounted bars or blocks which form a channel 17 
for guiding, aligning and retaining stackable blocks for use with this 
device. 
The vertical support 20 is provided with front mounted flanges 22 to 
provide a channel 24 along either side of this support. The channels 24 
are provided for supporting the indicator cards as used in teaching and 
solving math problems. 
On the end of the base opposite to the chart holder 20 is provided an 
elongated slot 26 for holding additional cards as used with this math 
teaching device. 
All of the components described so far are basic rigid elements and 
relatively maintenance free without anything to malfunction or get out of 
order. The moving part of this device consists of the pivotally mounted 
rod 30 which has a pointed tip 32 at one end and is pivotally mounted by 
means of a support staple 34 passing through a pivot hole 36 at the 
opposite end of said rod. Since this pivotally mounted rod could be 
damaged if twisted or moved in a direction towards or away from the back 
support 14, a pointer guide wire 25 is appropriately mounted by nails or 
pins 27 to the base 12 and the upper top edge of the chart holder 20 as 
best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. This guide will maintain the pointer end of 
the rod 30 in proper alignment with the chart holder and the charts 
normally contained therein as will be described below. 
Looking at FIG. 4 the component parts for use with the teaching aid device 
of this invention will now be described. This device is normally for use 
with teaching individuals basic arithmetic from 1 through 9. The indicator 
cards 40 are appropriately labeled 1 through 9 with the card number 5 
being shown. A number of stackable blocks 42 are also provided of similar 
shape and size. Basically these are small square or rectangular blocks of 
thickness of from 174 to 1/2 inch and with appropriate dimensions in the 
other parameters. Any desired size may be used for said blocks, preferably 
a size which is easy to handle by the child or individual using the 
device. Once the size for the blocks is chosen, then the indicator cards 
44 are designed and constructed with the proper type of math operation and 
the correct solutions indicated thereon. 
As shown in FIG. 4, the top indicator chart 44 is for working with fives 
and solving math problems of addition and subtraction. The appropriate 
solutions are indicated along an arcuate path as shown on the chart. The 
answers in this particular case running from 6 through 14. 
Looking at FIG. 2, an indicator card 44 for solving multiplication and 
division problems for base numeral 5 is shown with the appropriate 
solutions running from 5 through 45 in an arcuate path inscribed or 
appropriately indicated thereon. 
Any desired method of applying the indicated material may be used, such as 
printing, inscribing, letter stencil, silk screening, etc. Also, while 
black ink or paint may be used, it is envisioned different colors may be 
used for the different numerals and indicator cards. For example, the five 
tables may be of red color, the three tables of green, the four tables of 
blue, etc. 
The use and operation of this math teaching device will now be described. A 
teacher or self-instructing student will mount an indicator card with the 
numeral 5 into the slot 26 at the left of the base. The appropriate 
corresponding problem and solution chart for the number 5 will also be 
inserted in the chart holder 20, 22 at the right of the device. Now, for 
example, assume the student wishes to multiply 5 by 4, four of the 
stackable blocks 42 will then be placed and stacked within the guides 16 
and under the first arm 30 at the center of the device. The pivot arm 30 
will obviously be lifted in order to insert the proper number of blocks 
into the guide channel 17. Upon placing the desired number of stackable 
blocks in place the pointer is then allowed to rest by gravity action 
against the topmost block. Then the teacher or student may look at the 
right side pointer end 32 and read the solution off the indicator chart 
directly behind the tip of the pointer. In this case 5 .times. 4 = 20. 
In the case of division an opposite procedure is used. For example, in the 
illustration shown in FIG. 2 with the pointer at 20, if one wishes to 
determine the answer of 20 divided by 5 he need merely count the number of 
stacked blocks, i.e. four, to determine the answer. Thus, a student may 
easily learn multiplication and subtraction with the basic numerals from 1 
through 9. 
For addition and subtraction a chart card 44 like that shown in FIG. 4 
would be appropriately inserted within the chart holder 20 and still using 
the numeral 5, the number indicator card 44 for 5 would be placed in the 
slot 26. Again, by counting the number of stacked blocks 42 within the 
channel 17 and reading the correct answer from the tip of the pointer 32 
one can readily see that 5 + 4 = 9 as indicated on the problem and 
solution indicator card. For subtraction the reverse procedure would 
obviously be used, that is, 9 - 5 would equal the number of stacked blocks 
which in this case is 4. 
From the above description one can readily visualize how an individual may 
easily be taught simple arithmetic by the use of this math teaching aid. 
The device is simple and easy to construct, maintenance free, and yet 
accurate and efficient. 
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the 
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily 
occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the 
invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and 
accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, 
falling within the scope of the invention.