I believe this.
The 47 million people on food stamps can calculate, to the penny, exactly how much they deserve.
I’m still dumbfounded when ADULTS can’t count out correct change without a cash register.
I wonder how many people (likely older and with the ability to do simple things like addition and subtraction) still think 1984 and the ideas it covered, aren’t what we are living today. Many used to poo poo the notion.
Hate to say, but my own personal policy is that when a cashier overpays me in change that I say *nothing* anymore and I donate the excess to my church. I used to correct these people in the past and all too often they’d get offended and sometimes even yell at me for insulting their intelligence.
To me the insult was self-evident.
Anyhow, I figure if I say nothing then that person is one step closer to their new job.
And then I go home and teach my kids multiplication tables, short division, and business algebra instead of the mindless ‘theories’ the public schools teach about math anymore.
They are being taught by unionized government employee teachers...Of course they know nothing.
All while the unionized teacher salaries and benefits over the past 20 years has increased dramatically and they demand more $ every single year.
yuk yuk...
Now we know why a large chunk of the voters think that government spending can be increased and paid for soley by a tax on “the rich.” We are doomed.
publik skool success story
We old engineers sometimes found “trial and error” solutions by the Newton-Raphson method using a bamboo sliderule and our designs proved to be viable. We were slow but well versed in many phases of engineering.
New graduates are specialized and sit in front of a computer and use canned programs to make sophisticated calculations and are sometimes not even sure if their answers are correct.
Teaching Math In 1950
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?
Teaching Math In 1960
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?
Teaching Math In 1970
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?
Teaching Math In 1980
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20 Your assignment: Underline the number 20.
Teaching Math In 1990
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living?
Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers.)
Teaching Math In 2013
Un ranchero vende una carretera de madera para $100. El cuesto de la produccion era $80. Cuantos tortillas
se puede comprar?
I don’t know..do students still do multiplication, addition tables, and all the other rote learning things we did fifty years ago? I still remember the nun at the blackboard with the pointer and all us kids reciting in unison.
She was confused and said "You gave me too much money" and gave me back the dollar bill and the thirty cents.
She processed the transaction giving me $8.73, in exchange for the twenty. I left the money on the counter, then handed her two ones and asked for a ten.
She then looked at me and I could almost see the light bulb click on; "OH!! you wanted a ten back didn't you?"
>>>One in three adults can’t do simple sums past 100 without a calculator<<<
Shocking. One in three? That is almost 25%! :)
Because the article did not clarify it if (the study) is a real test, or it is just a survey. I can't find any link to the study.
Also from the article: “one in three parents believed their children’s ability exceeded their own” - really? are they confusing with the ‘tech savvy’ skill vs. real math/science skill?
Yep. There are three kinds of people: people who understand math and people who don’t.
It;s the impact of technology over time. How many folks can sharpen a wooden pencil with a knife?
We homeschooled, used Saxon Math books, and they always had sections of, what they called, Mental Math. All that meant was no paper and pencil allowed, much less a calculator.
I have a book called Test Your Math IQ (someone gave it to me as a present) and I enjoy solving the problems, just to keep my math skills alive (even though I’ve almost hit the big 60)
it’s good to keep your brain nimble doing word problems and such.
One in three adults can’t do simple sums past 100 without a calculator