I’m thinking that in this country where “equal” opportunity means affirmative action quotas, “equal” access means half the parking spaces in front of every store is handicapped only and “equal” rights means only one side can throw a race card, then it’s no wonder our kids are confused as to what “equal” means.
I think you're on to something. In the US, students learn that the meaning of equal outside of math is different than it is inside of math. Making one thing equal to another, versus something actually BEING equal to something else on it's own.
I think if students were introduced to the concept of assignment, like in programming, it would clarify things.
= means that the value of one thing matches the value of another.
:= means to MAKE the value of one thing match the value of another (think outcome based education for instance) /sarc