Re: Proofs - what good are they? - Article 546 - go-pugleaf

Article View: k12.ed.math

Article #546

Re: Proofs - what good are they?

#546

From: John William Rich
Date: Fri, 04 Apr 1997 00:00

19 lines
1667 bytes

One of the great problems in teaching maths is language. Often the
language is beyond the reading age of the kids being taught, just as
some of the abstract concepts are beyond their years.
Kirby Urner wrote:
> Like, we indoctrinate kids in this concept of 
> 'zero dimensional points'
An example I often use, and I suggest that readers use this with even
their adult friends.
Question. What is one divided by a half? Ask for an immediate answer to
the question. Most people immediately answer " half".
Question. How many times does half go into one? Most people immediately
answer "two".
It's the same question - the difference is the language and concepts
conveyed.
And because of this, many kids get turned off mathematics, and abandon
any thought of their having mathematical ability.
Regards
John

Technical Details

Message-ID: <334546B4.5537@xtra.co.nz>

Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!unknown!not-for-mail

References:

<33277F5B.4816@kear.tdsnet.com> <19970327031800.WAA07635@ladder01.news.aol.com> <859476077-0-130320@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu> <5heogo$7mg@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu> <334265a3.133172077@news.cyberg8t.com> <333D7486.2E13@kear.tdsnet.com> <3341b0c7.13629620@news.exis.net> <5hu4hk$2h6@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu> <3342CFF7.7A13@erols.com> <3343eb43.34558242@news.teleport.com>

Show Full Headers

Complete Article Headers

X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit
X-Google-Thread: 1025ed,f23fd9e15b181e0f
X-Google-Attributes: gid1025ed,public
X-Google-Thread: f86a3,725ab4a559685a1c
X-Google-Attributes: gidf86a3,public
From: John William Rich <J.W.Rich@xtra.co.nz>
Subject: Re: Proofs - what good are they?
Date: 1997/04/04
Message-ID: <334546B4.5537@xtra.co.nz>
X-Deja-AN: 230506658
References: <33277F5B.4816@kear.tdsnet.com> <19970327031800.WAA07635@ladder01.news.aol.com> <859476077-0-130320@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu> <5heogo$7mg@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu> <334265a3.133172077@news.cyberg8t.com> <333D7486.2E13@kear.tdsnet.com> <3341b0c7.13629620@news.exis.net> <5hu4hk$2h6@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu> <3342CFF7.7A13@erols.com> <3343eb43.34558242@news.teleport.com>
Organization: Geodesics NZ
Reply-To: J.W.Rich@xtra.co.nz
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math,bit.listserv.geodesic

Reply to Parent Message