Teachers please explain the mathematics obsession

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It makes you use your brain, to figure out solutions to complex problems. It's not about the math. It's about the ability to think and solve complex problems.

This is the right answer.

[Anonymous]

Anything beyond algebra and geometry is pretty much useless for most of us. Learning to use a graphing calculator has done nothing for me in my adult life. We would all be better served if there was a requirement for a personal finance class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes you use your brain, to figure out solutions to complex problems. It's not about the math. It's about the ability to think and solve complex problems.

This is the right answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes you use your brain, to figure out solutions to complex problems. It's not about the math. It's about the ability to think and solve complex problems.

This is the right answer.

we get it... you are stupid, hence the eye roll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes you use your brain, to figure out solutions to complex problems. It's not about the math. It's about the ability to think and solve complex problems.

This is the right answer.

we get it... you are stupid, hence the eye roll.

Any examples of the supposed "ability to think and solve complex problems"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes you use your brain, to figure out solutions to complex problems. It's not about the math. It's about the ability to think and solve complex problems.

This is the right answer.

we get it... you are stupid, hence the eye roll.

Any examples of the supposed "ability to think and solve complex problems"?

Did you not take math beyond elementary school math? Let me guess.. you learned math by rote, following the "formula", plug the number here, get the answer there... So, you never really had to think critically regarding math beyond simple a/s/m/d.

If you really "learned" higher level math, you should already know that it requires you to think critically and logically.

[Anonymous]

Why do we have to read Shakespeare and books written by dead authors in school, much of which I found depressing, boring, and hated the characters. It's useless to me in everyday life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it's foundational for a number of high-level career paths, including engineering, medicine, and applied sciences.

Plus general aspects of life - balancing your check book (or account), working out a budget, understanding how much you're spending in Bloomingdales on frippery, etc etc etc

??? Who balances a checkbook anymore? Who even uses one regularly? I do 99% online except the mortgage as we pay extra in the principle. Everything else goes on a credit card we pay off monthly. Math at school never taught me money management.

[Anonymous]

I would have benefited greatly from a personal finance class instead of almost not graduating because of my poor math grades in crap like Trig and Math Analysis. A class on compound interest, budgeting, understanding investments how to balance and maintain a checkbook/budget, and how credit works would be so much better, especially for students who aren't going into STEM careers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it's foundational for a number of high-level career paths, including engineering, medicine, and applied sciences.

Plus general aspects of life - balancing your check book (or account), working out a budget, understanding how much you're spending in Bloomingdales on frippery, etc etc etc

??? Who balances a checkbook anymore? Who even uses one regularly? I do 99% online except the mortgage as we pay extra in the principle. Everything else goes on a credit card we pay off monthly. Math at school never taught me money management.

+1 if anything has become less useful not more

[Anonymous]

I cannot tell you the slightest thing about calculus and I took it junior year of high school and got at least Bs in it. I'm not a math person and I clearly did not choose a math-related career.

[Anonymous]

I'm a high school math teacher and believe that a minimum of 3 years of math are required at most if not all public schools. I'm in VA. Math past Algebra II is an elective. Most want to take higher levels of math for a career or to get into a certain college but it's not required. It's true, the majority of people will not use calculus in their daily lives.

Personal finance is a required course in high school. I don't teach it and am not familiar with the exact curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a high school math teacher and believe that a minimum of 3 years of math are required at most if not all public schools. I'm in VA. Math past Algebra II is an elective. Most want to take higher levels of math for a career or to get into a certain college but it's not required. It's true, the majority of people will not use calculus in their daily lives.

Personal finance is a required course in high school. I don't teach it and am not familiar with the exact curriculum.

Hardly an elective is it then

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot tell you the slightest thing about calculus and I took it junior year of high school and got at least Bs in it. I'm not a math person and I clearly did not choose a math-related career.

+1 math is very Kafkaesque

[Anonymous]

This may be the dumbest thread yet on DCUM and that is saying something.