A Tangled Web

MATHS TEACHING THEN AND NOW!!



Read this from John Derbyshire - best maths joke I've heard in a while...! It tells us all we need to know about the teaching of Mathematics over the years in the States...the same applies here in the UK...



"Teaching math to American kids in...



— 1950: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?



— 1960: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?



— 1970: A logger exchanges a set "L" of lumber for a set "M" of money. The cardinality of set "M" is 100. Each element is worth one dollar. Make 100 dots representing the elements of the set "M." The set "C", the cost of production, contains 20 fewer points than set "M." Represent the set "C" as a subset of set "M." Answer this question: What is the cardinality of the set "P" of profits?



— 1980: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.



— 1990: By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the logger makes $20 profit. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the trees? There are no wrong answers.



— 2000: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $120. How does Arthur Andersen determine that his profit margin is $60?



- 2010: El hachero vende un camion carga por $100 La cuesta de produccion es....."