Many students strongly resist showing their work when doing mathematics. In many problems, there is really no work to show. In some cases, there is some but the problem is so easy that it is hardly necessary. It should STILL be shown. Here are five reasons.

1. You need to know if the way he is working the problem is a valid reason.

2. If you don't show your work on the easy ones, you won't learn how to develop a good problem solving approach that will be necessary when the problems get harder.

3. It teaches him the value of attention to detail.

4. It develops logical thought processes.

5. It allows someone else to follow his work, which will be necessary if he's going to be an engineer or any other kind of worker whose efforts will have to be used by others.

6. If he gets in my classes at Henderson State University, he won't get full credit if work is not shown.