Go ahead, read about her. For example in wiki.
Wow, she can calculate the cube root of 188,132,517 faster than a computer and can do other amazing feats. I don't even have a clue how to calculate a cube root without a calculator. (Yes but I DO know how to calculate square root by hand... and I have yet to write a little proof of that method of that doubling-and-pull-down method).
How can she do this so fast? Is there some secret methods to follow (like those mental math little books). Or she is just incredibly fast?
Is it because she can tap more % of her brain more than others so she can do things faster?
Ok folks, what is mathematics? Is able to calculate multiplication, square root, cube root lightning fast... considered mathematics? Can she earn a phD for being super fast? (If so, that $1 calculator in dollar store is fairly close to getting phD?)
My take is this: if a little machine can do, it is not sophisticated mathematics. It is just manual labor.
If you have systematic ways to solve some real-world problems, find some interesting relationships between things... I would call that mathematics.
Disclaimer: I am no mathematician, I am not even a good student. But I won't send kids to do mental math or abacus class.
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