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[Phys-L] Re: student mathematical capability



There are no Nobels for math. For answering what? Are you thinking of
the "class of all classes" paradox?
Regards,
Jack
On Wed, 14 Sep 2005, Bernard Cleyet wrote:

I thought Russell got a Nobel for answering this?

bc

rlamont wrote:
OK - I'll bite.

WHY is 2 + 2 = 4?

I always thought it just IS! If I place two apples next to two
other apples, I have 4 apples. Where is the WHY?

I learned math by memorizing times tables. Seemed to work OK.

Bob at PC


-----Original Message-----
From: Forum for Physics Educators [mailto:PHYS-
L@list1.ucc.nau.edu] On Behalf Of Hugh Haskell
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 2:56 PM
To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
Subject: Re: student mathematical capability

At 12:24 -0600 9/14/05, SSHS KPHOX wrote:

However, as I have watched students get pushed to achieve more

and sooner

( and there are many that can) I find the early teaching in

the younger

grades focusing on an algorithmic approach and foregoing the

development

of real understanding. I am not convinced that all students

are really

ready to master algebra in grade 8 at age 13 or 14. Many can

but not

all

by any means. I should not be surprised.


I suspect that this is mostly due to the fact that teachers of
mathematics at the middle-school level are themselves mostly

stuck in

an algorithmic mode. If students were taught from the very

beginning

to understand why 2+2=4, etc., rather than merely being

required to

memorize that fact, or more importantly, why 2*2=4 and 4/2=2,

they

wouldn't have nearly some much trouble transitioning to the

type of

math that requires this sort of thinking. But to do that

requires a

complete restructuring of how we teach early math, and after

the "new

math" debacle in the 60s, it is unlikely that will happen any

time

soon. However, if we did do some restructuring and the students

saw

why multiplication works, as a form of repeated addition, I

rather

think it would become much easier for them to then memorize the
multiplication tables that we all decry their lack of knowledge

of.

Hugh
--

Hugh Haskell
<mailto:haskell@ncssm.edu>
<mailto:hhaskell@mindspring.com>

(919) 467-7610

Never ask someone what computer they use. If they use a Mac,

they

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