We used centimeter cubes when I was a kid. Actual plastic cubes. We could use it to add length, we could use it to add volume.

For an illustration of using them for adding lengths, a 2D certainly is fine. They know what the cubes looks like, and a 3D version would just add lines they would have to ignore. Unnecessary complexity.

As an adult who knows how basic addition and basic length measurement works, I would agree with you. The cubes are simplified to squares, that's the correct name.

But for these kids that doesn't know the difference of the terms and don't need it yet, it's another simplification to avoid unnecessary complexity.

Having taught math to young kids, I used cubes at the beginning to give a real feel to the numbers. Having tangible items to play with gave them a real world demonstration of how numbers work.

And when the kids grasped the physical manipulation, I would transition to paper exercises like you are looking at. And I would call those squares "cubes." because doing so linked the physical with the abstract. And for some students, to suddenly switch terms could be confusing at first.

Teaching is about linking back to things the student already knows and is comfortable with.

I don’t like the use of the word ‘cubes’ when ‘squares’ would have been just fine though.

I don't like either because they are actual units of measurements for volume and surface, respectively.

i suspect the cubes part is literal and this is meant to be performed with small colored cubes. I've seen stuff just like this. I suspect the difference is the slop of piling up many cubes.

They're cubes, but the scaling errors are inconsistent.

It's a bound textbook!

That'd be my guess. Lot of potential scaling issues in print.

But the squares that are supposed to be a cm and the ruler below it are printed on the same page, they scale together.

At least it looks like a printed ruler to me.

The kids work with actual physical cubes in class. The consistency is way more important than pedantry

Does it really matter if you write down a length in squares or in cubes? 😂

Technically, they could be cubes as seen from directly above.

Most of the time, those who accept the lie will go farther in society. They're not just testing your scholastic aptitude, but also your compliance.

How many lights do you see, Picard?

They just didn’t draw the z axis which is where the difference is.

I wondered the same thing.

It's not "very difficult". You just cognizant of the scale your ruler is drawn on and scale you are printing it, i.e. not have printer auto scale it for example.

No need, the math question already killed the youngling.

I wasn't supposed to unravel their whole conspiracy. But here we are, the truth laid bare, and I can't unsee it.

See, inconsistent scale has you confusing squenchons and squelchons. The difference should jump out at you.

The shear audacity of this graphic

Why would you write milliliters?

Nobody? This is mildlyinfuriating