Visual Sense: Mixed Impressions

Binomial Cube
Materials A box with eight small prisms to represent the formula:
(a + b)3 = a3 + 3 a2b + 3ab2 + b3
The lid of the box shows the pattern in plane dimension

Purposes  To build the cube

 Indirect introduction to algebra
 Indirect: sensorial proof of the formula (a + b)3
 Indirect preparation for finding cube root

Age 4 and up

Prerequisite Early sensorial work

 Visual Sense: Mixed Impressions
Binomial Cube

Presentation Presentation A
1. Invite an individual child. “I want to show you the binomial cube.”
2. Show child where cube is kept and how to carry it with two hands.
3. Show how to lift lid, place in U-left corner. Open/close each door.
4. Invite child to repeat the entire sequence with the lid and doors.
5. “Watch what I do.” Open cube again. Remove top layer, placing
each cube to the left maintaining their same orientation.
6. Remove 2nd layer, place to right of 1st, leaving a small space.
7. “Now I’ll show you how to build the binomial cube.”
8. Use visual discrimination to choose and place a3 in the corner.
9. Look at and point to red side; locate and place a2b – one on each
side of red cube. Build the rest of the layer from the inside out.
10. Build the second layer in the same manner: inside out.
11. Close the box.
12. Invite the child to repeat.

Presentation B (show at the same sitting if possible)

Same as presentation A except change the orientation of the cubes and
prisms and scatter them together.

Control of Error Mechanical, the cube won’t fit in the box

Following 1. Invite child to build the binomial cube outside the box on the table.
Exercises 2. After the cube is built, show cutting the cube. Pull in half top to
bottom. Pull top layer off bottom. The child will see that no matter
how you cut the cube, the pattern is the same.
3. Have the child organize the pieces by size. Invite the child to build
it by color (all red pieces first, then blue, etc) This is the sensorial
preparation for cube root.

Language None

Sensorial Games None

Pedagogical  This material was developed by Mario Montessori, who was

Notes fascinated with mathematics.