It’s also a day without using anything he learned in art, or geography, or chemistry, or English literature, or history, or pretty much anything he studied in school after age 10. Why does math get singled out?
Because math is abstract and difficult to relate to. We should be taught practical applications of the abstract concepts, and the exam questions should be more practical.
The reason why they’re abstract and difficult to relate to is because we’re all being taught maths backwards.
In science, a phenomenon is observed and then maths is used to create a set of equations describe it’s behaviour. Then using the equations, other experiments can be designed to prove other hypothesises. This is known as the experimentalist approach to science.
Engineering is the same but less research and more application focused. For example, I need to design a wooden shelf that is A inches/meters long and supports B lb/kg of weight. How do I do that? Using trigonometry and Newtonian physics to work out the dimensions.
Finance is often used for basic algebra and calculus.
However, it is not always helpful to work in the material when using mathematics and the abstract is preferred. This is usually only useful for the theoretical approach in science, in theoretical mathematics, or at the cutting edge of engineering disciplines.
If we were taught by being presented with a problem first, I think it would make it easier to make the leap into the abstract when required for other applications. And on top of this, it would make it much easier for the majority who only ever need to use mathematics as a tool.
I would have certainly loved it if they showed me the actual problem and then solve it with math, instead of showing how to solve abstract, non-real-world problems in math using a bunch of complicated theorems that you just have to memorize (I know they can be solved, but you still have to memorize them for when you need to use them).
The biggest thing I learned from math was training yourself to think and problem solve. To always want to learn the next level of whatever you were learning, whether it’s math English or whatever.
I don’t think I’ve ever used much math knowledge in my life … but it gave me the ability and enthusiasm of wanting to always want to solve a problem no matter how complex it was.
I think it’s because some types of math are kind of all or nothing, either you know it or you don’t. If you recall half of what you learned in history you have some usable knowledge.
Definitely. Sometimes I wonder how hard those things would’ve been to program in my projects if I was never taught any of it in HS. It certainly made me grateful that I paid attention in those classes!
It’s also a day without using anything he learned in art, or geography, or chemistry, or English literature, or history, or pretty much anything he studied in school after age 10. Why does math get singled out?
Because hurr durr math hard
Because math is abstract and difficult to relate to. We should be taught practical applications of the abstract concepts, and the exam questions should be more practical.
I demand only the practical parts of art and history be taught in school.
Also - the questions that focus on practical applications are called word problems, and they get complained about more than anything else.
The reason why they’re abstract and difficult to relate to is because we’re all being taught maths backwards.
In science, a phenomenon is observed and then maths is used to create a set of equations describe it’s behaviour. Then using the equations, other experiments can be designed to prove other hypothesises. This is known as the experimentalist approach to science.
Engineering is the same but less research and more application focused. For example, I need to design a wooden shelf that is A inches/meters long and supports B lb/kg of weight. How do I do that? Using trigonometry and Newtonian physics to work out the dimensions.
Finance is often used for basic algebra and calculus.
However, it is not always helpful to work in the material when using mathematics and the abstract is preferred. This is usually only useful for the theoretical approach in science, in theoretical mathematics, or at the cutting edge of engineering disciplines.
If we were taught by being presented with a problem first, I think it would make it easier to make the leap into the abstract when required for other applications. And on top of this, it would make it much easier for the majority who only ever need to use mathematics as a tool.
“If Johnny has 3 apples, and Jane takes 1 apple, how many apples does Johnny have?”
Depends.
Did Jane take an apple from the only source of apples stated in the question; Johnny? If so then 2.
Did Jane take one apple from a source not stated in the question. If so then 3.
Has Jonny eaten any of his apples? If so then |3-n| where n is the number of apples Johnny has eaten.
I would have certainly loved it if they showed me the actual problem and then solve it with math, instead of showing how to solve abstract, non-real-world problems in math using a bunch of complicated theorems that you just have to memorize (I know they can be solved, but you still have to memorize them for when you need to use them).
Why do you euros always call it “maths”?
The biggest thing I learned from math was training yourself to think and problem solve. To always want to learn the next level of whatever you were learning, whether it’s math English or whatever.
I don’t think I’ve ever used much math knowledge in my life … but it gave me the ability and enthusiasm of wanting to always want to solve a problem no matter how complex it was.
I think it’s because some types of math are kind of all or nothing, either you know it or you don’t. If you recall half of what you learned in history you have some usable knowledge.
I use basic math daily. I use algebra frequently.
I have not use trigonometry since I passed high school trigonometry.
Most people in modern society don’t use it.
3d graphics and video games use a lot of trig
Definitely. Sometimes I wonder how hard those things would’ve been to program in my projects if I was never taught any of it in HS. It certainly made me grateful that I paid attention in those classes!
I like to view things with quantum physics in mind. “That’s weird and counter-intuitive…”, “I guess it’s meant to be that way.”
Obviously it doesn’t apply to everything, and often your gut feeling is probably right. But the philosophy helps in keeping an open mind.
With trigonometry, you don’t use it directly, but AC electricity and radio waves (eg WiFi or your phone) extensively rely on it.