First I want to stab at the title. No one ever uses "pc" to stand for percent in math. How about using the percent sign. Ah, perhaps the % don't work well in an URL, then spell it out! or say 7 out of 10.
So given the following question (which is stupidly phrased): 4+3+2=()+2. The student will take the equal sign as the "evaluate" operation and go 4+3+2=(9)+2 and then say the answer is 11.
Look, don't blame on the kids yet. Blame on the QUESTION. Did you make it clear for the kids to find out what should go inside the blank?
The article says
Meanwhile, they suggest that parents help the students and teachers "read professional journals, become informed about the problem and modify their instruction."
You've got to be kidding. Not many parents are capable to read any professional math. I definitely can't.
To get people learn math: YOU HAVE GOT TO ATTACH MEANINGS. The equal sign, greater than and less than sign fortuntately has a pictorial meaning.
Think a SCALE. Both sides are equal gives you a symbolic =, symbolizing balance. The left is greater? Use the symbol >. The right hand side is greater? Use the symbol <. Simple. Tell the students.
Don't just do the math. Understand the meanings.
The fact that you move variables from LHS to RHS is because you are doing the opposite operation on both sides (to cancel a certain operation), retaining the equality.
Do you know it or blindly do it?
Note: Multiply by -1 on both sides of an inequality, however, would switch the arrow direction.
In real life, problems involving inequalities just don't show up often.
Do calculus students blindly apply the formulas without even understanding what the derivative or integral is? Learn the meanings FIRST.
Ok, back to the study, does it mean 70% Americans don't know the equal sign even when they become adults? I don't think so, what is it that makes them enlightened?
1 comment:
Most headlines are not worth reading. Things like new study find this, find that, are all worthless and useless studies to begin with.
The researchers need to make a living, so most of them produce these stupid studies with grant money.
The reporters then report these because there is nothing else better to report.
That was a trick question. Of course kids understand =, 100% of them. Each and every kid is bombarded with math drills since they were 1st grade.
Don't give these idiot articles more than the second that they deserve our attention.
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