Comments on: Math Wars http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-wars/77 Mathematics, learning, computing, travel - and whatever... Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:36:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Tracy W http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/math-wars/77/comment-page-1#comment-2703 Tracy W Tue, 20 Jun 2006 15:17:17 +0000 http://squarecirclez.com/blog/?p=77#comment-2703 "Should we do less algebra and devote more time to problem solving and communication of mathematical concepts? " But algebra is a method for problem-solving and a highly important method for communicating mathematical concepts. "For example, in a traditional approach, students will learn to solve ‘gems’ like x + √(x − 4) = 4, while in a NCTM approach, they will learn how to interpret graphs drawn from real data measurements of an oil spill. Seems a no-brainer to me as to which is more useful down the track." Yep. The algebra equation. The likelihood of your average student encountering only problems that consist of interpreting graphs of data put together by other people is much less likely than that of them encountering a wide range of problems which can be abstracted down and solved by means of an algebraic equation. "Even many engineers admit that they almost never use most of the mathematics that they learned at university." I agree with this - I have an engineering degree and I don’t use most of the maths I learnt at university. But the maths I use is a somewhat different set from the maths my mates from engineering school use. You can’t predict ahead of time exactly what careers students will take up, so why limit them? Also I use maths in situations where people without a strong background in maths don’t, because I can see how it might be applicable. Eg I once worked out how much the fees on the savings scheme I was being offered added up to - if I invested $10,000, the interest would have to equal 6.3% just to keep pace with the same rate of return I would have gotten keeping the money under my mattress. Another time for fun I calculated the distance we could see to the horizon from the top of a mountain (the actual figure had to wait until we got back to civilisation as none of us could remember the diameter of the earth. “Should we do less algebra and devote more time to problem solving and communication of mathematical concepts? ”

But algebra is a method for problem-solving and a highly important method for communicating mathematical concepts.

“For example, in a traditional approach, students will learn to solve ‘gems’ like
x + √(x − 4) = 4,
while in a NCTM approach, they will learn how to interpret graphs drawn from real data measurements of an oil spill. Seems a no-brainer to me as to which is more useful down the track.”

Yep. The algebra equation. The likelihood of your average student encountering only problems that consist of interpreting graphs of data put together by other people is much less likely than that of them encountering a wide range of problems which can be abstracted down and solved by means of an algebraic equation.

“Even many engineers admit that they almost never use most of the mathematics that they learned at university.”

I agree with this – I have an engineering degree and I don’t use most of the maths I learnt at university.

But the maths I use is a somewhat different set from the maths my mates from engineering school use. You can’t predict ahead of time exactly what careers students will take up, so why limit them?

Also I use maths in situations where people without a strong background in maths don’t, because I can see how it might be applicable. Eg I once worked out how much the fees on the savings scheme I was being offered added up to – if I invested $10,000, the interest would have to equal 6.3% just to keep pace with the same rate of return I would have gotten keeping the money under my mattress. Another time for fun I calculated the distance we could see to the horizon from the top of a mountain (the actual figure had to wait until we got back to civilisation as none of us could remember the diameter of the earth.

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