[Graphicism]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SP Wild /img/forum/go_quote.gif 6 X 12 = logic error 3 X 9 = 9 + 9 + 9 = 18 + 9 = 18 + 10 - 1 = 28 -1 = 27 (20 seconds)

Why can't you do...

6 X 12 (6 x 10 + 6 x 2)
3 x 9 (2 x 9 + 9) or (3 x 10 - 3)

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by choka /img/forum/go_quote.gif Exactly! My friend used to say, the key is to "learn and forget". Learn how to do it, then flush out the exact details, but keep a big picture of how it is done and how you can quickly find out how to do it again.

I can't remember the last time I had to write programming code 'in a vacuum'. we have text books to use (just like pharmacists have their tables to look up for various things) and online examples to start from.

as long as you are ABLE to take something close, realize that its close enough to modify for your needs and then take it and modify it, THAT is a good creative exercise. its also more efficient as you are building on already existing 'works'.

so, its fair to ask me to do a linked list or tree traversal; but I will ask for internet access so that I don't have to reinvent the wheel every time.

you want to WATCH me derive an algorithm that was already hashed to deal (pun intended)? that's not my idea of checking the candidate's fitness for the job unless the job is to each students how to do datastruct101 level things

the world is more specialized and people are being more 'stove pipe' in their knowledge areas. I bet that pharmacist/chemist could do MANY things that are needed by her job that you'd have no clue or ability to do.

OP: grow up a few more years and see how you retain your school lernin'.

you may be less cocky (later on) as you find this out, over time.

 

[nick_charles]

You are in a supermarket. You need to buy some toilet rolls. You can buy a pack of 12 for $4.80 or a pack of 8 for $3.60 , you're gonna save $1.20 buying the smaller packet but are you getting a better deal?

Also bigger packs are not always cheaper/unit so unless you can do some basic mental arithmetic you can spend a lot more than you need to.

I was absolute rubbish at higher maths at school (some 36 years ago) but the little I have retained from the times table and having to do mental arithmetic has been invaluable to me.

 

[LFF]

A 22 year old I was shopping with once asked me what 20% of $20 was and what 10% of $25 was. True story.

 

[mark2410]

i think part of the problem is that you expected a pharmacist to be bright. in the UK they are not.

due to the wonder / money pit that is the NHS the role of a pharmacist in the UK is different to else where, here they are glorified check out assistants. people go to the GP for everything so pharmacists just dish out whatever the prescription says to without a single thought having to flash across their little brains.

 

[nick_charles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 /img/forum/go_quote.gif i think part of the problem is that you expected a pharmacist to be bright. in the UK they are not. due to the wonder / money pit that is the NHS the role of a pharmacist in the UK is different to else where, here they are glorified check out assistants. people go to the GP for everything so pharmacists just dish out whatever the prescription says to without a single thought having to flash across their little brains.

Um, that is not true. To call yourself a "Pharmacist" and be registered as such with the Royal Society as opposed to a shop assistant/Pharmacy Tech you are required by law to have a degree in Pharmacy and pre-graduation training, of course it doesnt mean you will be any good at mathematics...

 

[9pintube]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armaegis /img/forum/go_quote.gif I actually run a math program for kids on the weekends (about 140 kids, staff of 22). The first thing I did when I became principal several years ago: I banned calculators.

Good For YOU Armaegis!!!!! It's teachers like you who will save our KIDS!! I also think Kids should look up the spelling of words in a Dictionary, not on some elect. device

 

[linuxworks]

how is looking on a dead tree edition any better than online?

(boggle...)

 

[John2e]

70% of people are good at Math the other 40% have some problems

 

[XxATOLxX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9pintube /img/forum/go_quote.gif I also think Kids should look up the spelling of words in a Dictionary, not on some elect. device

Searching for definitions with an actual dictionary is slow and is going to become obsolete.

I welcome its demise.

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by John2e /img/forum/go_quote.gif 70% of people are good at Math the other 40% have some problems

"there are 10 kinds of people in the world: those that can read binary and those that cannot."

 

[chesebert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif my counter-rant in response to this: I'm nearly 50 and was once a math-major (and comp-sci) in college. however, things have changed A LOT since then. back then, we had to store info in our brains. now, we store pointers or "ways to get" the info. my brain reorg'd itself so that I flushed out the meaningless data items and replaced it with methods of HOW to get the info. I think its more efficient, but when I interview for jobs, they clearly don't agree ;( on interviews (for example) they'll ask me to recreate a linked list insert (code) or something like that. the thing is, I have long since flushed those specifics from my brain. now, if I need a linked list, I go FIND an example (either in my own linux box, as source already there) or I'll find an online example and modify it. THAT is how things (in software) are done today. I've been in the field well over a quarter of a century now and that's how experienced programmers work. however, I'm at a severe disadvantage when I interview with 'college kids' who have this stuff fresh in their minds. they think they can judge you on how quickly you can RECITE some algorithm you learned in school. for them, it was 'just last year' but for me, it was a few decades ago. its not a fair test and its not at all real-world. thing is, they're all so new, they don't even SEE this. that's just one perspective on how we have changed how we think. we used to need to store 'tables' in our heads but I argue that we have better ways today and people don't need to be 'walking googles' (lol). we have other ways to recall tabular info, now. use the human brain for original thought and creativity! that is something that 'table data' will never get you.

I totally agree. Forms and templates are how professionals do things today. People today are paid to think, analyze and create. People are not paid (at least not well) today calculate (simple math), memorize and regurgitate information.

We have already transitioned into a knowledge/creation-based society, so we need to teach our kids accordingly. Now one caveat is young-children education; I do think doing simple calculation in your head exercises a part of your brain you don't normally use; so those exercises could be helpful in their brain development.

 

[MCC]

My high school Modern British Literature teacher was once so depressed by students pulling out their calculators to calculate percentages on exams that he added ~10 such problems to the next test. No calculator and no scratchwork allowed. Needless to say many students failed that part of the test. Some of them were easy (say, 22/25) but others were a bit more difficult (like 17/39).

Calculators are also disallowed from my Differential Equations / Laplace transforms class, not that they're a big help anyways.

 

[linuxworks]

classroom and real life are ENTIRELY different things, though.

in one, you are (in theory) first learning a new thing. I do agree it makes sense to understand (at least once) how the answer is gotton.

now, once that is done and you're out there making money (lol) you can dispense with the "I'll go derive that right away" nonsense. time is money and you have no time to re-invent wheels. you also don't have time to learn HOW to use basic tools; they assume you already know how to do 4banger math and I can't think of any employer who would want to watch you do manual division

 

[choka]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif I can't remember the last time I had to write programming code 'in a vacuum'. we have text books to use (just like pharmacists have their tables to look up for various things) and online examples to start from.

moreover, there are so many different languages you have to know how to write. I mainly work in C++ now, but more often than not I have to write little bit of other code in C, Java, Javascript, Perl, Python, Matlab code, you name it. There is no way I will memorize the syntax of any of these in my brain. I just need to know approximately how it works and where I can find out the exact way to do it. Thanks to the internet I now have all the tools.