Maths over the Decades

[BigusDicus 9,829]

1.

Teaching Maths In 1960s

 

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.

His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

 

2.

Teaching Maths In 1970s

 

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?

 

3.

Teaching Maths In 198

0s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.

His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit ?

Yes

or

No

 

4.

Teaching Maths In 1990s

 

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.

 

5.

Teaching Maths In 2000s

 

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. Feel free to express your feelings e.g. anger, anxiety, inadequacy, helplessness etc.)

NB:

Should you require debriefing at the conclusion of exam there are counsellors available to assist you to adjust back into the real world.

6.

Teaching Maths In 2050

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

 

هاتشيرو

تبيع

كارلواد

من

نهاب

100

دولار

.

تكلفة

الإنتاج

هو

80

دولاراً

.

كيف

الكثيرمن

المال

ولم؟

[atlas2 4,329]

All I can remember from school in the late 50s and early 60s was:

 

A mathematician named Hall

Had a hexehedonical ball

The cube of its weight

plus his pecker, times eight

was four fifths, of five eighths...... of fuck-all.

[nkped 1,208]

"Maths" still sounds like something you attend on Sunday morning.

[ttk 236]

Last time I saw this the last part was in Spanish. It will be a bit longer until Arabic takes over Spanish as the main language in parts of the South

[Gary 4,100]

Kids today are not required to learn anything. Teachers cannot fail them because it would hurt their self esteem. Thus we have illiterate kids graduating the same as kids who worked hard to learn. Kind of like the unions. A useless lazy employee earns the same as a hard working employee.

[teelack 9,297]

Some years go I had to use a scientific calculator as part of a course. These were not invented when I went to school. I ended up looking in the local paper till I found a moonlighting maths teacher. It was interesting that I only needed two hours with him to come to grips with beast and trig in general. We learn a lot more than we ealise even if we dont use it.

[Fatboyfat 361]

Some years go I had to use a scientific calculator as part of a course. These were not invented when I went to school. I ended up looking in the local paper till I found a moonlighting maths teacher. It was interesting that I only needed two hours with him to come to grips with beast and trig in general. We learn a lot more than we ealise even if we dont use it.

I have always knocked and mocked the compulsary, until 3rd year, Latin that I had to learn at school. However I do suspect that learning that stuff albeit mostly forgotten, is probably the reason that I find other languages so easy to pick up. Getting the various types of word in the right order in particular; English is quite peculiar in that respect, and is one of the reasons that it is considered a difficult language to learn in it's own right.

[Gary 4,100]

Mathematics was not one of my favorite subjects nor was I good at it. Later in life a job promotion required me to know Trig and not only know it but to use it every working day. I ended up in night school studying harder than I had ever had in my life. I did get the job and got by but was no wizard for sure. By that time Texas Instruments marketed a scientific calculator that made me good at my job. I fortunately had a good friend who was a mathematical genius. He programmed all sorts of formulas into that calculator that solved nearly every problem that I had. He found it very easy but to me it was nearly impossible.

[atlas2 4,329]

Not sure that this doesn't fit better in the other thread.........

 

But why do they never serve beer at a maths party?

 

Because you can't drink and derive!

[BigusDicus 9,829]

Groan.....