where he has to remember that 3 is to be added to the 56 when he obtains it, and that only the 9 is to be written down, the 5 to be held in mind for later use. The practice required to operate the bond efficiently in this new set is desirable, even though it is excess from a narrower point of view, and causes the straightforward 'seven eights are fifty-six' to be overlearned. So also a pupil's work with 24, 34, 44, etc., + 9 may react to give what would be excess practice from the point of view of 4 + 9 alone; his work in estimating approximate quotient figures in long division may give excess practice on the division tables. There are many such cases. Even adding the 5 and 7 in 5⁄12 + 7⁄12 is not quite the same task as adding 5 and 7 undisturbed by the fact that they are twelfths. We know far too little about the amount of practice needed to adapt arithmetical bonds to efficient operation in these more complicated conditions to estimate even approximately the allowances to be made. But some allowance, and often a rather large allowance, must be made.
The second is the case where the computation in general should be made very easy and sure for the pupil except for some one new element that is being learned. For example, in teaching the meaning and uses of 'Averages' and of uneven division, we may deliberately use 2, 3, and 4 as divisors rather than 7 and 9, so as to let all the pupil's energy be spent in learning the new facts, and so that the fraction in the quotient may be something easily understood, real, and significant. In teaching the addition of mixed numbers, we may use, in the early steps,
| 11½ 13½ 24 —— | rather than | 79½ 98½ 67 —— |
so as to save attention for the new process itself. In cancellation, we may give excess practice to divisions by 2, 3, 4, and 5 in order to make the transfer to the new habits of considering two numbers together from the point of view of their divisibility by some number. In introducing trade discount, we may give excess practice on '5% of' and '10% of' deliberately, so that the meaning of discount may not be obscured by difficulties in the computation itself. Excess practice on, and overlearning of, certain bonds is thus very often justifiable.
The third case concerns bonds whose importance for practical uses in life or as notable facilitators of other bonds is so great that they may profitably be brought to a greater strength than 199 correct out of 200 at a speed of 2 sec. or less, or be brought to that degree of strength very early. Examples of bonds of such special practical use are the subtractions from 10, ½ + ½, ½ + ¼, ½ of 60, ¼ of 60, and the fractional parts of 12 and of $1.00. Examples of notable facilitating bonds are ten 10s = 100, ten 100s = 1000, additions like 2 + 2, 3 + 3, and 4 + 4, and all the multiplication tables to 9 × 9.
In consideration of these three modifying cases or principles, a volume could well be written concerning just how much practice to give to each bond, in each of the types of complex situations where it has to operate. There is evidently need for much experimentation to expose the facts, and for much sagacity and inventiveness in making sure of effective learning without wasteful overlearning.
The facts of primary importance are:—
(1) The textbook or other instrument of instruction which is a teacher's general guide may give far too little practice on certain bonds.
(2) It may divide the practice given in ways that are apparently unjustifiable.
(3) The teacher needs therefore to know how much practice it does give, where to supplement it, and what to omit.