How old is the captain?

• There are twenty-six sheep and ten goats on a ship. How old is the captain?

This problem was given to 1st and 2nd graders and many tried to answer the problem by using the numbers in the question and picking a mathematical operation. If math is too focused on memorization then students are not seeing the power of mathematics. The following points should be emphasized with students when learning math.
·      Everyone can do math!
·      Emphasize reasoning over memorization
·      Encourage multiple strategies and ways of thinking
·      Math is not about how quick problems can be done but shortcuts with understanding are great!
·      Encourage discussion and exploration
·      Math should foster curiosity
·      Math should be relevant and realistic

The following video has a similar problem done with 8th graders

The following video has more details on the, how old is the captain problem.