Comments on: Math Education: An Inconvenient Truth

By: sleeper2345

sleeper2345 — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:32 +0000

So the point is to …
So the point is to use numbers that you won’t typically use in the real world so that you can get good at solving contrived problems? Math at its finest!
Is it possible to learn to use a calculator effectively? Would this be valuable?

By: sleeper2345

sleeper2345 — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:31 +0000

So why are you …
So why are you learning any of this if you never need to use it? This is all very confusing to me. Sounds like your taking courses in “useless things that I’ll never need.” A strange degree program.

By: sleeper2345

sleeper2345 — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:31 +0000

So most of what …
So most of what you’re learning is a bunch of facts that can be recalled from a list of information. You’re not learning how to solve complex problems or unique situations that real mathematicians or scientists solve? So you’re not interested in precision or accuracy either? You just need to get close to the ballpark? You’re not using how to use technology that can benefit you and allow you to solve messy problems? Sounds like you’re in 1950.

By: TakesTwoToTango

TakesTwoToTango — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:31 +0000

Also, we’ve all …
Also, we’ve all been taught how to work with a pocket calculator just fine. We can use it for certain open-book exams, but generally calcs fail anyway. If you want to solve “real” problems, you’re better off with computers with excel, or specialised mathematical programs like derive or matlab. Which they also teach us how to use by the way… Calculators are handy if you have an everyday concrete problem which you want to solve exactly. Which happens about… never -.-

By: TakesTwoToTango

TakesTwoToTango — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:31 +0000

Dude, you can store …
Dude, you can store any course in your freaking calculator :s. Unless you have an open book-exam, it’s a foolproof way to cheat…

Also, they are numbers that occur in the real world. You just calculate what happens to a mass of 50gk instead of one of 47.598kg +- 0.002kg.

No cheating, easy calculations and easyer to correct for the professors. The numbers we use are real life numbers, 50kg is possible too :s.

By: sleeper2345

sleeper2345 — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:30 +0000

Didn’t you learn …
Didn’t you learn how to solve the system of y+x=3 and y-x=3 when you were 12 years old? Sounds like we can move beyond this. Most students could solve this just by looking at it. Perhaps we should learn when to use a calculator so solve problems.

By: TakesTwoToTango

TakesTwoToTango — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:30 +0000

We were taught in …
We were taught in highschool. Not everybody in highschool knows what he’s gonna study after it…

And we need those programs etc for complex problems. But again, you need to bloody learn what’s behind it all. You sound like you’re advocating that everybody should just grab a computer program and solve all their problems without thinking about them, even the ppl who are supposed to make those programs :s

By: sleeper2345

sleeper2345 — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:30 +0000

Sounds like you’re …
Sounds like you’re advocating what is in these books, not just memorizing meaningless algorithms.

By: TakesTwoToTango

TakesTwoToTango — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:30 +0000

Also my friend, …
Also my friend, we’re supposed to learn about stuff. It’s perfectly possible to let a smart 12yo solve all physical problems by making a computer program linked to a database containing all the answers and telling him to just type in the right numbers… We try to understand what happens however, and solve the problems…

By: TakesTwoToTango

TakesTwoToTango — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:30 +0000

Facts? We learn to …
Facts? We learn to solve problems. Also, precision and accuracy have their place in physics. Since you know this all, you know how to process numbers and work with errors, and then it ‘ll be a cold trick for you to realise why you shouldn’t always do this when learning new theories. Also, some people don’t study at all. Take linear algebra. Had an exam on that last exam period. if y+x=3 and y-x=3, what are x and y? You’re supposed to learn how to solve that, without needing to grab a calculator.

By: TakesTwoToTango

TakesTwoToTango — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:29 +0000

Some kids are in …
Some kids are in need of an algorithm that’s transparent and works every time. The classic ones kind of have this. Most students who should be using more methods or other ones figure them out by themselves anyway. And I’m quite radically against the huge uprise or technology as it IS crippling many kids’ skills in a couple of areas. Kids start relying on calculators too much, I’m noticing this here too. University is often the 1st place where they’re prohibited for many exams,

By: sleeper2345

sleeper2345 — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:29 +0000

You don’t need an …
You don’t need an algorithm to solve this system. You can simply see that if y is 3 and x is 0 that that is a solution. If you’re using an algorithm, you are using a slow procedure.
*
I think the point is that you need to know when you need to use a calculator and when not to, not learn that you should never use one. Some systems are very difficult to solve (e.g., possible solutions with two cubic equations. However, there are some nice procedures you can use that involve a calculator.

By: TakesTwoToTango

TakesTwoToTango — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:29 +0000

You know, you’ll …
You know, you’ll need to use at least very simple algorithms to solve this system. You’re nowhere if you don’t know them, or at least are capable of deducing them… You can however solve this easily with your calculator mate, most calculators I know can solve systems quickly. Just put them in standard notation and you’ll get the answers (0 and 3). You’ll generally notice when you can solve it w/o a calc and when you need one, but the point is there has to be A point where you can do it w/o one

By: sleeper2345

sleeper2345 — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:29 +0000

Sounds like you …
Sounds like you disagree with the person who made this video, that students need to learn to reason and solve problems. The person in this video thinks that students should learn one way (the supposed only and best way though this is inaccurate) to compute. This video advocates against strategies that encourage mental strategies, but one “one way I learned in school.”

By: TakesTwoToTango

TakesTwoToTango — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:15:28 +0000

You do need an …
You do need an algorithm. You can say you “see” the solution, but that’s crippling… Are you going to use a calculator for everything you don’t instantly see the solution of? You deduced that x should be 0 BECAUSE it has to be a number that when added to or substracted from another one doesn’t change that number. Then you actually substituted 0 into x and solved y + 0 = 3. Look at that, an algorithm for solving systems of the form x+y=a; x-y=a