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| The New Math | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 31 2006, 06:21 PM (144 Views) | |
| TexasShadow | May 31 2006, 06:21 PM Post #1 |
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Jane
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Last week I purchased a sandwich for $1.58. The counter girl took my $2 while I was digging for my change. I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies, while looking at the screen on her register. I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried. Why do I tell you this? Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1950s goes as follows: 1. 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? 2. Teaching Math In 1960 A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price ($80). What is his profit? 3. Teaching Math In 1970 A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit? 4. Teaching Math In 1980 A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. The assignment is to underline the number 20 when you find it. 5. Teaching Math In 1990 A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish, 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 a losuy $20 because he is interested only in the almighty dollar. What do you think of this way of making a living? The topic for class participation after answering the question is: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers!) |
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| Banandangees | May 31 2006, 07:08 PM Post #2 |
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Member
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I for one am glad that Algore invented the internet so that environmental abuse, blind to us in the 50s, is so evident now brought to us by our 90s and beyond teaching methods.
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| Banan | |
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| bikemanb | May 31 2006, 08:08 PM Post #3 |
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Liberal Conservative
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If you grew up down wind or stream from a steel mill, paper mill or chemical plant in the 50's it would have been quite evident. The Cuyahoga River in Cleveland didn't catch fire, yes it really happened, because a bunch of walleye were toking up. |
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Bill, Rita and Chloe the Terror Cat For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise. Benjamin Franklin | |
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| Banandangees | Jun 1 2006, 07:24 AM Post #4 |
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Member
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Of course you're right. Actually, I grew up and lived in the Scranton area in the 40s. The Lackawanna River was black with no life from the breaking and washings of the anthracite coal at the "coal breaker" plants along the river. You got use to the sulfur smell from the column piles burning and the soot on your mothers sheets hanging on the line. The filth helped to build our immunity.
Today the river is running clean with trout. The Lackawanna north of Scranton is rocky bottom and fast moving and readily able to clean itself in time. The column piles no longer burn and the area appears quite clean. The Lake Erie murky bottom is another matter for years of contributions from the Cuyahoga and Detroit Rivers. I am quite familiar with the paper mill aromas in the Williamsport and Tyrone areas. Pennsylvania has always been a somewhat aromatic state; but, I love it. It's the quintessential melting pot. And,.....we tend to vote out our state representives who use fuzzy math to vote themselves huge raises.
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| Banan | |
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1:02 PM Jul 11