Something a friend sent me . . .
FIFTY YEARS OF MATH 1957 - 2007
Last week I purchased a burger at Burger King for $1.58. The counter girl took my $2 and I was digging for my change when I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies, while looking at the screen on her register. I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried. Why do I tell you this?
Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1950s:
1. Teaching Math In 1950s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?
2. Teaching Math In 1960s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100 His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?
3. Teaching Math In 1970s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?
4. Teaching Math In 1980s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.
5. Teaching Math In 1990s
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers, and if you feel like crying, it’s OK. )
6. Teaching Math In 2007
Un hachero vende una carretada de maderapara $100. El costo de la producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?
That is hillarious! What is more frustrating? 1. Having the clerk cry over her inability to do simple math or 2. going through the drive through and having the person taking your order barely understand/speak English at all? I have a daughter that is allergic to milk products. Last time I went to McDonald’s drive-through I asked for a double cheeseburger with NO CHEESE, meat only. When I got to the window the drive-through person handed me a quarter pounder with EXTRA cheese. What tha? I told her nevermind and she said “Gracias”
It’s all true, and now I want to cry.
But there’s more. When I finished high school, I worked in a drive-in movie, in the concession stand. (For those who don’t comprehend the terms, ask your parents, or grandparents.) We had a manual cash register, the sort where you tally up the purchase and key in only the total, with tax, amount. So at intermission, when roughly 300-500 people had to be served in 15 minutes, with a single cash register, I would be doing all the math in my head, adding each item to the running total, then finding the tax from a chart on the register, keying it in, and making the change the old-fashioned way, by subtracting in my head the total from what the customer gave me.
Oh, and one more detail. My boss required me to make sure that all bills in the till were face up, top of bill on the left in the till, with folded corners unfolded. And we never, never placed coins on top of a stack of bills in the customer’s hand.
Today we live in a society where minimal mathematical competency and basic courtesies have gone the way of the buggy whip.
I was right there with you Bill until you said “buggy whip”. I assumed it was a horse whip, and I was right. But damn, I know you’re old; but that old?
MK-I have been to stores here where I have had to seek out an employee who speaks English. Another reason I now only go to the White Wal-mart.
I flipped out at a Quiznos’ today at lunch for the same reason-the lady asked me 3 times: “You want combo?” I said “no” clearly 3 times (which is one of the easiest words to learn). She then proceeded to ring up the (#($*@& combo! I said something about changing the total before I call INS or something. I blacked out and can’t remember much except that I woke up in a dark alley smelling of cumin and jalapeno’s. Weird.
Dude, that was you? Your picture is posted on the La Raza website saying “how to deal with the occupiers”. En espanol of course.
Bill, I started cashiering when I was 17. We rang up each item, so that much was added for me….but I added tax manually(looking at that lil’ chart), and made my own change. It’s a skill that everyone should have, but so few do now.
Stacy, thanks for the giggle!
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
This is an example of the homework my son brings home.
A logger sells a load of lumber for $1000. Fuel cost $3.75. There is a 2% sales tax. His profit is 20%. How much does he get per board foot?
His counterparts in the ESL program get this question “4+5= .”
I was going to say something really mean; I’ve chosen not to. BTW, that problem makes my head hurt. Friends don’t let friends do math.
No, Stacy, I’m not that old. But I’ve seen pictures…
Now you know why we sent our kids to private schools in this hick socialvik blue state, and they even taught them multiplication times tables from 0-12…. without a calculator too… in the third grade! Imagine that? It doesn’t take a village Hillary, nor a teachers union! One gets what one pays for. Amen.
Our local Carvel (like Dairy Queen) is owned by immigrants. I was buying my daily dose of transfat when an American kid came in and asked for a job application. TYhe owner asked him how much is six quarters?
Kid didn’t know.
What’s 6% of $2.50?
Didn’t know.
(Stacy, that’s 6, 12, 15 cents)
The foreigner said sorry, I can’t use you. This in a very upscale NYC burb. The owner said he has that down to a science. He’s lucky if he can get one in ten who can do those problems. But our latest new school has wall to wall carpeting.
Our main street runs dead North-South. A kid asked me directions once, and I said such and such North. Which way is that? he wanted to know. And he lives here!!
We import HS dropouts, and graduate the equivalent. Marx must be howling with laughter.
BWH - The problem you post is frustrating, because there’s not enough information to solve it…
How many board feet in the load? How much fuel used? Do we calculate wastage? How about maintenance on the truck? Heh.
When I was in college I could do many simple calculations before you could key the problem into a calculator, but I’ve gotten slow in later years - I have trouble multiplying two two-digit numbers together without reaching for paper now.
[…] Stacy is in the teaching math biz […]
Wayne, that is the point. Information they don’t need and a lack of the information they do need.
They would be better off learning simple math skills.
Those that can, do. Those that can’t, write textbooks.
It’s that method of obscurity you’re always guilty of.