If you have an older child or teen who is learning about prime numbers, you might want to teach him about the Sieve of Erastosthenes.
Erastosthenes was a Greek scholar who lived more than 2000 years ago and developed a method for finding prime numbers. This method was called the “Sieve of Erastosthenes” and it can still be used today. All you need is a hundred chart and an understanding of the method to find prime numbers.
I have some free resources for you today that you can use to teach this math technique. They include biographies of this ancient Greek scholar, instructions for using his method, and printables for implementing it.
Here they are.
Sieve of Erastosthenes Resources
Khan Academy: Let’s start with Erastosthenes himself. Here’s a short biography of the man with a description of some of his achievements.
Famous Scientists: Here’s another more detailed account of the life and accomplishments of Erastosthenes.
Math-Salamanders.com: Math-Salamanders has a page devoted to the Sieve of Erastosthenes which has a biography, info on how the Sieve works, worksheets, a prime numbers calculator, and more.
Math is Good for You: This is a 2-page PDF with a chart and directions for using Erastosthenes method.
Nrich: This page is geared towards kids ages 11 – 14 and includes instructions and free printables.
Did these free resources help your teen learn about the Sieve of Erastosthenes? If they did and you know of others who could benefit from this list, encourage them to become a Member.
More help on this site with teaching math:
- Apps with Math Formulas for High School Students
- Videos with Order of Operations Songs
- Free Online Prime Number Calculators
Many blessings,
