OT: The History of Math

THE HISTORY OF MATH: Last week I purchased a burger for $1.58. The counter girl took my $2.00, and I was digging for my change when I pulled eight cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and three 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? Please read more about the "History of teaching math": Teaching Math in 1950 - A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is

4/5 of the price. What is his profit? Teaching Math in 1960 - 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: Teaching Math in 1970 - 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. Teaching Math in 1990 - By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the logger makes $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question, How did the forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the trees? (There are no wrong answers.) Teaching Math in 2005 - El hachero vende un camion carga por $100. La cuesta de production es................ And we wonder why jobs requiring intellingence are being outsourced?
Reply to
Rich Grise
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Reply to
Tim Wescott

It's an old story. ;-)

Cheers! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

I saw that version and a couple of others, similar, so I merged them and ad= ded my own refinements: The Evolution of a Math Problem=20

1950: A lumberjack sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production i= s 4/5 of this price. What is his profit?

1960 (traditional math):=20 A lumberjack sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production i= s 4/5 of this price, or in other words $80. What is his profit?

1970 (new math):=20 A lumberjack exchanges a set L of lumber for a set M of money. The cardinal= ity of set M is 100, and each element is worth $1. Make 100 dots representi= ng the elements of set M. The set C is a subset of set M, of cardinality 80= . What is the cardinality of the set P of profits, if P is the difference s= et M\C?

1980 (equal opportunity math):=20 A lumberjack sells a truckload of wood for $100. His or her cost of product= ion is $80, and his or her profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the am= ount; $20.

1990 (outcome based education):=20 By cutting down beautiful forest trees, a lumberperson makes $20. What do y= ou think of his way of making a living? In your group, discuss how the fore= st birds and squirrels feel, and write an essay about it.

2000 (entrepreneurial math):=20 By laying off 402 of its lumberjacks, a company improves its stock price fr= om $80 to $100. How much capital gain per share does the CEO make by exerci= sing his stock options at $80? Assume capital gains are no longer taxed, be= cause this encourages investment.

2010 (No Child left behind):=20 Un le=F1ador vende un cami=F3n de madera de construcci=F3n para $100. Su co= ste de producci=F3n es 4/5 de este precio. =BFcu=E1l es su beneficio?

Tom Pounds Near Albuquerque, NM

Reply to
tlbs101

Easy. That was in 1950.

Reply to
tm

You said it was last week.

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Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
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Reply to
Tim Wescott

You don't believe the government when they say there is no inflation? Mikek

Reply to
amdx

This is "no child left behind" updated.

Reply to
hamilton

2.00,
t

nnies,

There's a cheeseburger on MDs dollar menu for $1.45. Don't know why they call it the "dollar menu" if it's $1.45.

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-Bill

Reply to
Bill Bowden

"Old" is relative .. aunts, uncles, etc - just ask Einstein!

Reply to
Robert Baer

You've never heard of McDonalds?

Reply to
JW

Mea culpa for not indicating that it's just a quote that I was forwarding.

Thanks, Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

Actually, ARCO/AM-PM has them that cheap.

Cheers! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

Is that the gas station chain?

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Reply to
Tom Del Rosso

Yeah, but I don't know if all ARCO stations have the AM/PM Mini- Mart.

Cheers! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

Their double cheesburger is only a dollar around here.

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It's easy to think outside the box, when you have a cutting torch.
Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

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