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iBoaterer[_3_]

In article ,
says...

On Sat, 14 Sep 2013 13:12:21 -0400, wrote:

On Sat, 14 Sep 2013 11:31:00 -0400, iBoaterer
wrote:

In article ,
says...

On Fri, 13 Sep 2013 17:22:55 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 13 Sep 2013 12:38:12 -0400, wrote:

There is some discussion that math skills like long division and doing
square roots may go the way of cursive writing.

===

The important thing is to understand the concepts not the actual
mechanics since literally no one does long division or square roots by
hand anymore.

Everyone should understand the basic mechanics of arithmetic and some
of the tricks like reciprocals so they can do basic calculations in
their head or at least with a pencil.
We are creating generations of people who are totally lost if the
battery does in their cell phone.

My job keeps me math practiced. You are totally correct about basic math
mechanics. When my son was young and learning adding, subtracting
positives and negatives, I asked him if the he ever was shown a number
line. Nope, never. So, I drew one, he got the concept of negatives and
positives right away. When I grew up, everyone knew what a number line
was, and understood it. They need to put that back in the early math
courses.

I am not even sure the current batch of teachers understand it. We are
old. They grew up with a calculator in their hand. (anyone younger
than 45 or so).
In 1971 my Bomar "4 banger" cost about $100.
A few years later you could get one free with a "fill up" at a gas
station.

Number lines were on the walls of all the middle school math teachers when I was teaching. I can't
imagine a decent teacher not having one when introducing kids to negative numbers.

John (Gun Nut) H.

Of course....