Why do people think it ok to not know math?

[EvilCrazyMonkey]

I seem to be the outcast; I can whiz through math/science, but get stuck on language arts and social studies.
I remember in third grade I was able to remember the page of a book that I was reading. It was rather cool because I didn't need a bookmark. But my memory has worsened since then.

quadratic formula

THE OPPOSITE OF B PLUS OR MINUS THE SQUARE ROOT OF B SQUARED MINUS 4AC DIVIDED BY 2A

 

[opaltiger]

He read (on average) twenty books a month. :P

people are constantly amazed that I both read upwards of that amount and spend hours on the internet. it's like the two MUST be mutually exclusive or something.

also guys holy crap algebra is not complicated maths (don't even get me started on geometry).

dammit you guys do I have to open tcod math class

if you do, do me a favour and start at differentiation. :(

 

[Altmer]

no opal you just use your brains efficiently

 

[Jolty]

To be honest I think english is more important than maths... but people SHOULD be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide at least.
or maybe it depends on what job you want to do I dunno

I seem to be good at both, because I got an A* for english and an A for maths in my GCSEs...

 

[Tailsy]

Vee is a complete nerd but he is correctamundo.

Maths is useful \o/ if a shitty subject
that I am probably failing
because
i don't like quadratics they smell funny

 

[Altmer]

Yes, Vee wins this one.

 

[goldenquagsire]

The "most maths is useless in later life" argument is flawed. On that logic, we should also get rid of French (come on is there anyone IMPORTANT who speaks it), History (old shit? who needs it), Science (homoeostasis is not relevant to office jobs), English (as if anyone cares that you can write pretty stories)... eventually, you can narrow down the list of necessary lessons to PE, IT and arse-wiping.

The whole point of teaching pre-A-level (someone who knows both the American and English school system will need to translate that for me) is, imo, partly to teach you some general skills for later life, partly to force social skills on you and partly to give you a taste of different disciplines, so you don't just choose something completely at random. Admittedly, there is usually quite a difference between what one learns at school and at college, but it's still somewhat representative of what you'd get if you decide to pursue a certain academic career.

I am, of course, a complete hypocrite. I utterly detest maths. I cannot understand what is taught to me, and contrary to Eevee's belief, I doubt that I'd understand it even if it was explained better. I'm more proficient in abstract concepts; I can easily grasp history, geography, English, arts... Nevertheless, I can see the reasoning behind forcing me to take ten years of maths. Besides, aside from a few individuals in this topic, most of us haven't even entered college. I wouldn't say that we're qualified to speak on such matters of education.

 

[opaltiger]

necessary lessons to PE

what is your justification for this?

 

[Phoenixsong]

dammit you guys do I have to open tcod math class

It isn't so much that I can't do math at all. I had some of the highest grades in my class in high school and apparently I can force myself to remember some stuff (yes, ##$^U$@#^ quadratic formula--BUT I REMEMBERED IT EVENTUALLY and without a stupid rhyme) when I absolutely have to, but not without stressing out about "oh holy shit I can't remember this I can't remember this aaaaaaa" for a good ten minutes or so. I suspect it's just because I don't do it often enough. I read books and stuff for the hell of it all the time, but it's not like I decide to go do some awesome calculus on a whim. Lack of practice leading to a lack of self-confidence leading to the dire need for a security calculator--that's me, I guess.

I'm just glad I was the only one in the room when I was taking that entrance test for my new school. Other people didn't need to hear what I was shouting at the computer, lol.

I mean, I'm a pretty decent problem solver. It's just that when I have to do actual math it all goes out the window.

 

[Eevee]

THE OPPOSITE OF B PLUS OR MINUS THE SQUARE ROOT OF B SQUARED MINUS 4AC DIVIDED BY 2A

COMPLETE THE GODDAMN SQUARE

people are constantly amazed that I both read upwards of that amount and spend hours on the internet. it's like the two MUST be mutually exclusive or something.

I would have some cool reading stats but 99% of my reading is done over the internet :( Books are expensive and there is no library within walking distance... although I'e bought a few design books recently which are immensely interesting.

if you do, do me a favour and start at differentiation. :(

I think that may be a little bit above most of the population of this forum. :B

On that logic, we should also get rid of French (come on is there anyone IMPORTANT who speaks it), History (old shit? who needs it)

I fully support this endeavor.

I am, of course, a complete hypocrite. I utterly detest maths. I cannot understand what is taught to me, and contrary to Eevee's belief, I doubt that I'd understand it even if it was explained better.

Well, of course. With an attitude like that, you're never going to understand a damn thing.

I'm more proficient in abstract concepts; I can easily grasp history, geography, English, arts...

Those aren't abstract. They're arbitrary. Math is almost as abstract as you can get.

 

[Tailsy]

On that logic, we should also get rid of French (come on is there anyone IMPORTANT who speaks it).

hmm gee
only five hundred million people speak french

oh
that seems like a big number, doesn't it!

 

[opaltiger]

I think that may be a little bit above most of the population of this forum. :B

welcome to the story of my life :(

maybe you can do two maths classes 8)

(come on is there anyone IMPORTANT who speaks it).

Jean-Michel Cousteau!

...

:D?

 

[Butterfree]

Math is awesome.

Okay, you can use math for solving various puzzles. Come on, those are all over the place and they're fun. You can use math to understand card tricks. You can get geeky over the formulas used in your favorite video games. You can, in general, understand the world so much better. By extension, you become better at logic puzzles and so on as well. Screw being practical: it's enjoyable. It's genuinely enriching to life itself to know math, and not just what you people are calling basic stuff, either.

That doesn't mean I don't fall asleep in math class. Math teachers, as previously noted, tend not to be very good at teaching it; whole generations' mathematical knowledge is built up from learning rules like parrots without understanding what any of it actually means and why it is the way it is, and in general this just means that either people get it on their own or they don't, in which case they'll fail and hate math for the rest of their lives without ever getting it. Which is sad, because they have no idea how much they're missing.

Granted, from reading this thread, I don't have it quite as bad as you do. Teaching the quadratic formula with a rhyme? What the hell?

 

[opaltiger]

Teaching the quadratic formula with a rhyme? What the hell?

wait, what? my eyes must have glazed over reading that part of the thread.

I seem to be fairly lucky in that I have a pretty awesome maths teacher, though, which might contribute to my love of the subject; but then everyone else in my class save... one person? hates it so uh maybe not.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Yeah, that... sucks. My teacher never did anything like that; she taught us how to arrive at the formula, not to MEMORIZE IT IN SONG FORM like most of you seem to have had to do. :/ Not that I remember anything but the formula now, again because I'm horribly out of practice, but at least I don't have a retarded song stuck in my head.

My teacher was awesome, though. She totally would've let me draw an Infernape attacking a calculator as the cover of the book I had to hand in (don't ask, I don't feel like explaining my hippie school atm) and she was going to take us out for pie on Pi Day (but forgot D:).

 

[Murkrow]

Nobody that I've met thinks it's ok not to know it.

It's either that they find it extremely boring, or it's just because of the meanness of all of the maths teachers in my school. (except that one who left, but she had crazy teeth so nobody wanted to be taught by her)

And I've never had a rhyme taught to me to make stuff easier to learn, except history to learn dates. And that time in chemistry when I made that thing up that translates to 'Respect many religions, Hitler must be sunk.'

Anyway, more on subject, there are a few job examples that don't really require anything above basic maths. Although, admittedly they're all 'cashier at McDonald's' type thing. It's just even they need to do taxes and things.

 

[Cryssie]

I want to like maths, and I would sorely love to be good at it, but anything remotely advanced frustrates me. I am quite jealous of people who are amazing at it. :(

I used to be among the best in my class in earlier years (A* at GCSE, not that that's saying much), but recently I have just plain struggled to remember techniques and junk (C at A Level, the shame D:).

Maybe it's the teaching methods (although I hesitate to criticise or lay any blame on such nice people), or maybe I'm just not cut out for maths, or maybe it's a mix, who knows. For the record, I don't remember being taught a rhyme for the quadratic formula, but then again if we were ever taught how to derive it, I don't remember that, either. :(

But yeah, while I think that maths is endlessly useful and good mental exercise, as long as I'm not relying on someone to do a task that requires mathematical knowledge, I don't really mind if they can't expand brackets or differentiate or whatever else. *Shrug.*

 

[goldenquagsire]

what is your justification for this?

Someone needs to teach kids how not to end up fat and unhealthy (and god knows that we can't expect parents to do it any more). Because if everyone's fat and unhealthy, that's MY taxes that have to pay for their heart surgery. D:

I fully support this endeavor.

*facepalm*

Well, of course. With an attitude like that, you're never going to understand a damn thing.

If you can make me understand the sort of maths that I need to pass my GCSEs, then I will give you a free car. I bloody well want to understand the crap that they're feeding me, because my higher education is at stake.

Those aren't abstract. They're arbitrary. Math is almost as abstract as you can get.

"Abstract" as in "needs actual human subjectivity". A computer can do maths, but it can't scrutinise art.

hmm gee
only five hundred million people speak french

oh
that seems like a big number, doesn't it!

For once, the point wasn't "French is a stupid language", it was "well kindly explain why everything taught in schools has to have practical uses".

Okay, you can use math for solving various puzzles. Come on, those are all over the place and they're fun. You can use math to understand card tricks. You can get geeky over the formulas used in your favorite video games. You can, in general, understand the world so much better. By extension, you become better at logic puzzles and so on as well. Screw being practical: it's enjoyable. It's genuinely enriching to life itself to know math, and not just what you people are calling basic stuff, either.

I feel the same way about English.

 

[Tailsy]

For once, the point wasn't "French is a stupid language", it was "well kindly explain why everything taught in schools has to have practical uses".

But French has a practical use :S you can't possibly use that as an argument.

 

[Zeph]

I'm good at maths, I suppose. I find it relatively easy to do, but I'd be better if I actually paid attention in lessons.

I have no idea how the Quadratic formula could possibly be made into a song. I mean, how can you make a bunch of numbers and powers magically rhyme? All I can think of is 7 and 11, but to my knowledge neither are in the formula in question.

On a somewhat unrelated note (I was reminded by 'pi day'), a few years ago they built anew classroom in the maths block. It was in-between M3 and M4, so what did they call it? Mπ, of course.