The Evolution of Math in the United States

[Taron]

"Old Fashion" is codephrase for "Not From This 2-year period".

When you have 3 kids go to school, and all 3 are taught a different method of math at the same grade level you realize they are throwing new methods out hand over fist.

If the kid can do the math, it doesn't matter what method they use to do it. Especially when they can do it in their head, I'm not an advocate of forcing them to show me how.

Little side note here - A few years back I was working construction and hadn't done a lick of written math since high school. I was writing on a 2x4 to show somebody a measurement I had done in my head , and tried to subtract something like

400
- 178
332

Was the answer I got. Immediately I knew it was wrong, and had a good laugh at myself. But it goes to show you there is no 'right' way of doing it. Just the one that works for you.

[Troll]

I like math but ya.... too many ways to do stuff they are not the same long enough in teaching to be a benefit and the variance between say High School of just gimmie the damn answer and College of I don't want the answer I want to know how you got it are so different that it causes more issues then it is worth to show a new way of getting some answer most don't typically care about anyway.

[Yoda007]

I have to agree with you fully, the US is full of dumbasses.

Australia on the other hand, well all the smart ones live there

[Kodilynn]

Except for Yoda, he goes to a "special" school.

[Troll]

Fry isn't Bias at all BTW :P

[Fry]

Hey hey, don't drag me into this. That was Yoda saying those things not me. I'm no teacher so who am I to judge kids these days. All I know is it seems like each generation says the same things about kids not learning the good way like they did back in the day. It really makes me feel old.

Fry.

[Troll]

HAHA you know what I knew it was Yoda but I was still staring at his avatar laughing so like your name appeared.

But ya each day I feel older when I read this stuff and go know it was true then and it is true now. To think I thought I could help make a difference yet I now contribute to the problem.

[taste]

I just now decided to finally read this thread. I got a good chuckle... followed by depression. I fear for my kids.

[qendar]

Sad... but true!!

[Sassycoco]

fry dont need to know math paypale adds and subtracts it for him