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To: neverdem
I was kid when they started teaching that thing called the “new math.” I struggled with math for years. Struggled so much as it proved to be my undoing in early college.

Decades later returning to college I had to sit through another remedial math class. Honestly I didn't know if I would get through it this time either.

About 3 weeks in the teacher discussed a concept so simple he had me solving quadratic equations in one class. What was the one concept that I somehow missed in all those decades of struggle? What teacher and tutor neglected to note I had not learned? Please Remember My Dear Aunt Sally.

I tend to blame the whole ‘new math’ concept of teaching math. I now understand it was not because I was dumb about math, heck I aced Physics, but could not pass an algebra class! It was about how they muddied what should have been the logical expression of mathematics. I got through physics...because it was logical, visual, and hands-on. I didn't need their new math theory of teaching, I could reason out the answer ...often in my head.

I did that once in the remedial math class with a story problem. Within seconds blurted out the answer...the teacher knew I didn't complete any written work. He is the same one that told me about my dear aunt sally.

40 posted on 11/05/2011 6:14:04 AM PDT by EBH (God Humbles Nations, Leaders, and Peoples before He uses them for His Purpose)
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To: EBH
I tend to blame the whole ‘new math’ concept of teaching math.

Amen!

I was GREAT in math, but when it came time to help my own daughter; I couldn't even understand what they were trying to teach!

45 posted on 11/05/2011 7:07:29 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: EBH

I did that once in the remedial math class with a story problem. Within seconds blurted out the answer...the teacher knew I didn’t complete any written work. He is the same one that told me about my dear aunt sally.
____________

I learned it as Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.

Parenthesis
Exponents
Multiply
Divide
Add
Subtract

This is of course, the order of operations for any math sentance.


48 posted on 11/05/2011 6:39:51 PM PDT by Chickensoup (In the 20th century 200 million people were killed by their own governments.)
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