Place Value Method Simulation
written by Teresa Carrigan
- What is it?
- How it works
- How to use it
- Things to notice
- Things to try
- Extending the model
- NetLogo features
- Related models
- Credits and References
- For more information
- Run model in your browser
- Download the model
- Single webpage version
HOW TO USE IT
If you want examples from a specific base: Use the number-of-digits slider to set the number of digits that the counter can hold. Use the base slider to set the base. Now press the setup button. This will generate a random number with that many digits in that base (although it is possible to have leading zeroes).If you do not care which base is used, click the random button to generate an arbitrary base, number-of-digits, and number.
The slow-motion slider is an easy way to adjust the speed of the display. Set it to zero if you want to show the final result as quickly as possible. 0.5 is a good setting for most purposes.
The step button demonstrates the next step of the place value method, and then stops so you can take notes. This is useful when you are first learning the method.
The go button does all remaining steps, at a speed determined by the slow-motion slider. This is useful when you do not need to take notes between each step, or do not wish to press the step button several times to get an answer. If you want to pause the demonstration, simply click the go button a second time and it will stop after it finishes the current step. You may then click go a third time to resume.
The quiz button will generate a random number using the base and number-of-digits sliders, and then ask you to convert it to decimal. If you want to drill conversion from binary, set the base to 2 and the number-of-digits to the maximum. If you want to drill conversion from hexadecimal, set the base to 16, and the number-of-digits to a small number unless you have a calculator and a lot of patience.
The show-again button starts the exact problem from the beginning. You may then click either the step button or the go button to see the same demonstration.
HomeApplets on this website were written by Teresa Carrigan in 2004, for use in computer science courses at Blackburn College, with the exception of the Fireworks applet. The applets made with NetLogo require Java 1.4.1 or higher to run. The applets made with NetBeans require Java 1.4.2 or higher to run. Applets might not run on Windows 95 or Mac OS 8 or 9. You may obtain the latest Java plugin from Sun's Java site.