Math
From AlcSkirnZ
Several areas of math are interesting to us.
Contents |
[edit] Mathematics Education
Math education is to put it mildly, in serious trouble in the US. Students are taught regularly that math is boring and hard by teachers who dislike it and as a result, the students come to hate what little math they know, and often are given a very bad idea of what math is all about. The most recent program that I feel contributes to this system is the program known as Math Trailblazers. The program specifically denies all need for ability grouping, rejecting the notion completely. Further, it heavily emphasizes sequences to be extended with three points given for the sequence, yet no indication of the problems in such.
[edit] Miscellaneous fun math
<math>z_{n+1} = z_n^2 + C</math>
Where <math>z_n</math> is a number in the complex plane in -2-2i to 2+2i.
[edit] Abuse of math
It isn't just statistics that gets abused regularly in the media and public press.
[edit] Sequences
One common abuse is to present a sequence of numbers (usually three to five) and to ask the reader to indicate the next number in the sequence. The problem is mathematically, just because one is given some numbers does not indicate what the next number must be at all, unless one is told something about the set in question. For example, both of the following sequences are perfectly legitimate:
- 1,2,3,5
- 1,2,3,4
It so happens that the first sequence above is based on the Fibbonacci series, while the second was simple counting. Upon being told this, one mathematics teacher proclaimed, "Oh, we only do linear sequences", yet with a linear sequence, only two numbers are required (two points uniquely identify a line). It is clear that many who present such problems do not even understand that they are asking readers to guess how the author thinks rather than solve a mathematical problem.
