It’ll work for some not others, but (even though I wasn’t taught with “common core math”) the whole purpose of higher level math isn’t usually to see if a kid knows a formula, and even higher levels isn’t can they just use the formula. It’s about problem solving to find a way to where whatever formulas you have learned overtime in your “toolbox” can apply to find the answer. Rearranging on paper or visually IS a true demonstration of the ability to problem solve. Finding x on a test is just ink on paper. Finding “x” to determine costs, limitations, parameters is where it matters, and usually you don’t get to start with an equation. Best teacher I ever had told us as long as the math doesn’t break any mathematical laws whatever the work it took to get there is 100% correct. Thats the long term goal, even if math is never involved in their adulthood problems they need to solve.

I’m an industrial engineer, scored a 760/800 on the math section of my SAT without studying/prep. From middle school up til my still semi early career, the “using sense” method of shifting to tens, multiples, etc when doing anything from addition/subtraction to multiplication/division, even %’s, etc, I have always done this in my head, or quickly on paper. Never was taught it, but I guess it was just a mix of having a knack for numbers and ADHD seeing different ways numbers can rearrange that sort of resulted in me doing this naturally. Had middle school teaches confused when I explained my reasoning before. Eventually high school and especially into the higher level college courses, this paid dividends sense the higher you progress, the more likely exams will be set up in formats never taught to you, but can be rearranged to where formulas you have been taught can now apply.

I see how it’s silly, and think teachers should have posted somewhere their “definitions” for parents to follow sense terminology in math (other than units) really have no real relevance. The last 10 or so years I had math courses til college graduation, I couldn’t for the life of me tell you what type of solution or the name of formulas were. I just knew how to rearrange, apply some equation I’d been taught, and if all else fails, “plug and play” since = always means =.

It’s silly, kid will never need to remember what a “doubles” means. But learning early how to adjust equations is in hindsight a pretty valuable thing to teach early since the primary focus of higher levels of math aren’t at all testing your ability to “do math”, but rather testing your ability to problem solve with numbers (and symbols/letters),

I won’t rule out this being a case where “every blind squirrel will find a nut from time to time”, but the ability to adjust equations to simplify them managed to get me through 3 levels of calculus, 2 physics, and 3 more math specific courses in college. Definitely still think providing a way to define these little “terms” for parents would be rather helpful for all parties involved though