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Re: [Phys-l] Should equation solving be done with calculators and robots or by hand?



Some interesting questions. IMO there is a lot useful mental exercise and
useful practice in methodical problem solving skills in going through the
algebra which you don't get by just setting up the equations in the typical
"toy" problems one uses to learn the material in high school or introductory
courses.



I'm not entirely convinced of the relative value of the "mental exercise" in
doing algebraic manipulations. Since they can be done by actual robots it
seems that a human doing them is also acting like a robot, brainlessly
performing trained manipulations without thinking.


I'm not sure where the answer lies, but I suspect that the product
of what would come out of a curriculum where the "robot" does all the math
won't be a skilled problem solver, but rather a person who gives up when
problems get frustrating.

But when the robot human makes algebra mistakes and gets the wrong answer it
gets upset and gives up. There are more ways to foul up algebra than
physics, I think. (Then again, maybe two infinities are equal...)




I'm quite glad my 1st grade daughter isn't being
taught arithmetic on a calculator for example. I don't think it would be a
disaster if students weren't allowed to touch calculators until high school;
and even then only under adult supervision. :-)

Oh, it'd be a disaster, I think. I'm sure we both want *meaning* to be
conveyed to students. I'm not sure manual labor does this just by virtue of
being 'manual.'




I've noticed the math
department at our university is beginning to be less enamored with graphing
calculators and using them for teaching the algebra and calculus classes. I
think this is happening for a reason.

What is this reason?

If you think that the math classes and
the physics classes should be reinforcing each other (I do) then I'd say its a
mistake. (Not to mention the Chemistry and the Biology and English
classes).



________________________
Joel Rauber
Department of Physics -
SDSU

Joel.Rauber@sdstate.edu
605-688-4293