The Evolution of Math

[JT]

The Evolution of Math

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 2005
Un hachero vende una carretada de madera para $100. El costo de la producción es $80

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Euclidean]

The sad part is, it made me sad the first time I saw it.

[Bud White]

sounds about the truth now a days

[Miggy]

This happen about 50 minutes ago at the drive-thru window of a local not-so-fastfood joint

"Welcome to Miami-Subs. How may I help you?"
"I'd like to order a gyro platter, no drink."
"Gyro platter, no drink. Anything else?"
"Yeah, Give me half dozen hush puppies."
"What?"
"Half dozen hush puppies."
"Say again?"
"Half dozen hush puppies!"
"How many is that?"
"Six."
"Oh, OK, Your total is $7.44. Please come to the window."

[Bumper]

We're losing. We really are.....

[KenpoTex]

The worst is when you give them change so you won't end up with a hand-full of pennies. For example, your bill is $1.17 so you give them $5.17. Most of them just stare at you with a blank look on their face.

[JT]

I was in Subway last week. Bill was $7.85, and I gave the girl a $20. She entered it as a $10, by mistake. She realized her mistake and stood there staring at the register that told her to give me back $2.15. She had to get out a pen and paper to figure out she really owed me $12.15. I guess I could have helped her out, but I had to stand there and stare at the train wreck.

[armoredman]

This is why the McDonalds registers have pictures of the ordered item, instead of actual numbers - prevents meltdown of ignoramouses. I have been told that now kids can take calculators into math tests.....

[P95Carry]

Yep - a sad but mostly true reflection on the here and now.

I have been told that now kids can take calculators into math tests.....

Armoredman - there is still a problem however!! Those of us who use calc's to speed up number crunching do probably all have pretty good abilities to reach a ball park result first by mental math. Thus when calc' spits out the actual accurate result, we know if it is Ok, or whether maybe we shunted the decimal point too far one way or the other by sloppy key strokes.

The kids tho - I fear they often lack this and so may take the calc' result as absolute ''gospel'' when in fact it may be wrong by one or two orders of magnitude.

I find few kids who have been taught or have aquired the ''approximation'' method I have used for years. Probably most of us do it. Say we total, 9 items at $2.89 each - thats 9x3 with rounding up = 27. Less 9x11 to correct the round up = 27-0.99 = #26.01.

Just a real simple example but I am darned if I find many kids who can do it. Not sure what most clerks would do if the register did not do the math for them!!

[Betty]

It's funny and sad.

When I was a teenager working in my dad's hardware store, dad would not allow anybody to use the cash register option that counted out the change - we had to figure the math out for ourselves. He told me, "because you're going to be smarter than those kids at McDonald's."

And it never, ever failed that I had to make change for my high school math teacher at that register. He was really testy, and he looked exactly like that old farmer in the American Gothic painting.

Total: $15.72
Math teacher: $20.77

It was a weekend, and this guy still felt like he gave to give out a math test.

I also knew a middle school kid who did not know how to read a standard clock dial. If it wasn't a digital watch, he couldn't tell the time.

And then in high school drafting class, I was constantly showing this kid how to measure 1/4 inch, 3/4 inch, 1/8, etc.